India pace spearhead’s 5-54 helps bowl out Sri Lanka for 201 at Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo; India reeling at 21-3 in second dig
Colombo: On a high after claiming a fifer, India’s pace spearhead Ishant Sharma said that he enjoyed bowling on a green wicket with a red Kookaburra which “seams and swings a bit” causing trouble for the batsmen.
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Ishant Sharma in full cry against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo yesterday. Pic/Solaris Images
“We are pretty happy with a green wicket to bowl on. I have shortened my run-up just a little bit but not too much. I think I am enjoying bowling with the new ball especially, with the red Kookaburra ball as it seams and swings a bit,” Ishant told mediapersons at the end of the day’s play.
Test on knife edge
The decisive third and final Test between India and Sri Lanka was on a knife edge after 15 wickets fell during a dramatic third day’s play in Colombo yesterday. Play ended with India on 21-3 in their second innings, an overall lead of 132 with seven “We need to bowl in good areas and keep believing in yourself that somehow you will take wickets.
That’s what I have been doing,” the lanky speedster said. Ishant sounded a bit helpless when asked as to why they could not polish off the tail after Sri Lanka were reduced to 47 for six with Kusal Perera taking on the bowling.
“Kusal Perera had nothing to lose. He was just going after the bowling. He was hitting the ball even when we were hitting the length. You can’t really do anything about that. He even got out while slogging the ball,” said Ishant.
“In these situations, all you need to do is set a field and bowl according to that plan so that captain doesn’t look like a fool on the ground. You need to keep things very simple so it will be easy for the captain as well,” he added.
Vocal Ishant
Ishant also played down the aggressive manner in which he sent off Perera. “He (Kusal) is a good friend. I just asked him what time you are going to come for dinner with me,” the bowler signed off, laughing off the incident with Perera. Earlier, India’s opener Cheteshwar Pujara carried his bat through his side’s innings to anchor his team to a competitive 312 before their first innings ended 25 minutes after the start of the day’s play. Pujara, who marked his recall to the Indian Test side with an unbeaten 145 in the first innings, was bowled by Dhammika Prasad for a second-ball duck.
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