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NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Dhananjaya de Silva’s heroic hundred and Roshen Silva’s gallant, unbeaten 74 helped secure Sri Lanka’s morale-boosting draw in final test against India, who won the three-match series 1-0 on Wednesday.

Playing his first match in the series, de Silva batted through pain to score 119 before retiring hurt.

Debutant Silva and Niroshan Dickwella then batted out the final session as the tourists secured their second draw of the series at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.

Sri Lanka, who finished on 299-5, could not chase down the 410-run victory target but played out of their skin to salvage some pride after being outplayed in the series.

India’s ninth consecutive test series triumph puts the world number one into an elite club which also includes Australia and England.

Resuming the final day on a precarious 31-3, Sri Lanka lost Angelo Mathews early in the morning session but de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal resisted India for two hours as the smog-hit test finally saw a mostly sunny day.

India tasted success in the sixth over of the day when Mathews was caught in the slip off Ravindra Jadeja for one.

Dropped three times in his first innings knock of 111, Mathews was evidently less lucky in the second, given out on a no-ball which went undetected by umpire Joel Wilson.

Jadeja bowled Chandimal, then on 24, with a drifted, sharply-turning ball but replays confirmed the left-arm spinner had marginally overstepped.

Nimble-footed de Silva did not allow the situation to bog him down and scored freely, especially against the spinners, while Chandimal looked content playing the second fiddle.

Ashwin ended the 112-run partnership when he lured Chandimal out of the crease and spun it past his bat to hit the stumps.

The Sri Lanka captain, who smashed a career-best 164 in the first innings, made 36.

Ashwin had a chance to catch de Silva, then on 110, off his own bowling but the off-spinner spilled the full-blooded drive.

By then, de Silva was struggling with his thigh injury and the 26-year-old eventually hobbled off the field, passing on the baton to Silva, who proved equal to the challenge.

De Silva’s third test century contained 15 boundaries and a six off Ashwin.

Even after his exit, Silva and Niroshan Dickwella (44 not out) did not play defensively, raising 94 runs and denying India a wicket in the final session.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India set Sri Lanka a daunting 410-run victory target and dented the tourists' top order to maintain their iron grip on the third and final test on Tuesday.

Having secured a handy 163-run first-innings lead, India declared on 246 for five about 45 minutes after tea and Sri Lanka were reeling on 31 for three when bad light stopped play with the tourists still needing 379 runs to level the series.

Dhananjaya de Silva was batting on 13 with first-innings centurion Angelo Mathews yet to open his account at the other end.

Mohammad Shami dismissed opener Sadeera Samarawickrama for five with a vicious bouncer before Ravindra Jadeja dealt two late blows, dismissing Dimuth Karunaratne caught behind for 13 and bowling nightwatchman Suranga Lakmal for a duck.

Earlier, Dinesh Chandimal made a career-best 164 to help Sri Lanka post 373 all out, their highest total in the series.

Lakmal denied India a strong start to their second innings, dismissing Murali Vijay for nine.

The paceman was subsequently seen vomiting and temporarily left the field as the Delhi smog continued to affect the match.

Ajinkya Rahane has been the lone batsman in India's top six without a fifty in the series and was sent in ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara in a bid to help him rediscover his form ahead of the tour of South Africa.

The move, however, did not work.

The right-hander survived two reviews and scored only 10 runs before trying to hit his way out of trouble and holing out in the deep off Dilruwan Perera.

Shikhar Dhawan initially looked subdued but the left-hander soon accelerated, stepping out to hit Lakshan Sandakan over his head for a huge six.

The left-arm wrist-spinner had the last laugh, though, as he lured Dhawan into charging out to play a similar shot only to be stumped for 67.

Pujara (49) fell short of his fifty but Virat Kohli (50) and Rohit Sharma (50 not out) batted with characteristic ease against the jaded Sri Lankans to keep India in complete control of the match.

India 1st innings 536 for 7 decl (V. Kohli 243, M. Vijay 155, R. Sharma 65; L. Sandakan 4-167)

Sri Lanka 1st innings (Overnight: 356-9)

Dimuth Karunaratne        c Saha b Shami                       0  

Dilruwan Perera           lbw b Jadeja                         42 

Dhananjaya de Silva       lbw b I. Sharma                      1  

Angelo Mathews            c Saha b R. Ashwin                   111

Dinesh Chandimal          c S. Dhawan b I. Sharma              164

Sadeera Samarawickrama    c Saha b I. Sharma                   33 

Roshen Silva              c S. Dhawan b R. Ashwin              0  

Niroshan Dickwella        b R. Ashwin                          0  

Suranga Lakmal            c Saha b Shami                       5  

Lahiru Gamage             lbw b Jadeja                         1  

Lakshan Sandakan          not out                              0  

Extras                    (b-4 lb-5 nb-2 pen-5)                16 

Total                     (all out, 135.3 overs)               373

Fall of wickets: 1-0 D. Karunaratne,2-14 D. de Silva,3-75 D. Perera,4-256 A. Mathews,5-317 S. Samarawickrama,6-318 R. Silva,7-322 N. Dickwella,8-331 S. Lakmal,9-343 L. Gamage,10-373 D. Chandimal

Bowling             

M. Shami                  26 - 6 - 85 - 2(nb-1)                   

I. Sharma                 29.3 - 7 - 98 - 3                       

R. Jadeja                 45 - 13 - 86 - 2(nb-1)                  

R. Ashwin                 35 - 8 - 90 - 3                         

India 2nd innings   

M. Vijay                  c Dickwella b Lakmal                 9  

S. Dhawan                 st Dickwella b Sandakan              67 

A. Rahane                 c Sandakan b D. Perera               10 

C. Pujara                 c Mathews b D. de Silva              49 

V. Kohli                  c Lakmal b Gamage                    50 

Ro. Sharma                not out                              50 

R. Jadeja                 not out                              4  

Extras                    (b-1 lb-2 nb-3 w-1)                  7  

Total                     (for 5 wickets declared, 52.2 overs) 246

Fall of wickets: 1-10 M. Vijay,2-29 A. Rahane,3-106 C. Pujara,4-144 S. Dhawan,5-234 V. Kohli

Did not bat: R. Ashwin, W. Saha, I. Sharma, M. Shami

Bowling             

Suranga Lakmal            14 - 3 - 60 - 1(w-1)                    

Lahiru Gamage             12.2 - 1 - 48 - 1(nb-3)                 

Dilruwan Perera           11 - 0 - 54 - 1                         

Dhananjaya de Silva       5 - 0 - 31 - 1                          

Lakshan Sandakan          10 - 0 - 50 - 1                          

 

Sri Lanka 2nd innings (Target: 410 runs)

Dimuth Karunaratne        c Saha b Jadeja                      13 

Sadeera Samarawickrama    c Rahane b Shami                     5  

Dhananjaya de Silva       not out                              13 

Suranga Lakmal            b Jadeja                             0  

Angelo Mathews            not out                              0  

Extras                                                         0  

Total                     (for 3 wickets, 16 overs)            31 

Fall of wickets: 1-14 S. Samarawickrama,2-31 D. Karunaratne,3-31 S. Lakmal

To bat: D. Perera, D. Chandimal, R. Silva, N. Dickwella, L. Gamage, L. Sandakan

Bowling             

I. Sharma                 3 - 0 - 6 - 0                            

M. Shami                  3 - 1 - 8 - 1                           

R. Ashwin                 5 - 2 - 12 - 0                          

R. Jadeja                 5 - 2 - 5 - 2                           

Referees             

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Dinesh Chandimal made 147 not out and Angelo Mathews ended his century drought to help Sri Lanka rediscover their competitive edge against India on day three of the third and final test on Monday.

Sri Lanka’s current and former test skippers combined in a 181-run fourth-wicket partnership to help them reach 356 for nine when bad light stopped play, the first time they had passed 300 in the series.

Chandimal played a captain’s knock and his 10th test century included 18 fours and one six.

Lakshan Sandakan was yet to open his account at the other end with Sri Lanka still 180 runs behind.

Beginning the day 405 adrift of India’s total of 536 for seven declared, the onus was on overnight batsmen Mathews and Chandimal to lead Sri Lanka’s battle for survival at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.

The right-handed duo did not let their team down, denying India in the morning session as Mathews rode his luck to move on to 111 after being dropped twice.

After the second day was blighted by complaints of air pollution by the visitors, Sri Lanka resumed on a slightly hazy morning on 131 for three.

Their occasional discomforts notwithstanding, Chandimal and Mathews displayed the kind of application that has been lacking among the tourists who trail 1-0 after their heaviest defeat in the second test in Nagpur.

Mathews was on six when Virat Kohli dropped him at second slip on Sunday and paceman Ishant Sharma endured more anguish when Rohit Sharma grassed a catch in the same position with the batsman on 98.

Mathews went on to complete his eighth test century, more than two years after his last against the same opponents, and the relief was evident as he pumped air in celebration.

“It was very pleasing and bit of a relief as well,” Mathews said.

“I had the confidence within myself. I was hitting the ball in the nets. Once I got the start today, I thought let’s try and capitalise, with the luck as well.”

Mathews was lucky again on 104 when he lofted Ravindra Jadeja to mid-off and the ball burst through substitute fielder Vijay Shankar’s hands.

He finally ran out of fortune when Ashwin ended his defiant knock which included 14 fours and two sixes.

Sadeera Samarawickrama, who suffered concussion on Saturday and missed play on Sunday, scored 33 but Sri Lanka lost four wickets for 39 runs in a late collapse.

Ashwin (3-90) spoiled Roshen Silva’s test debut by dismissing him for a duck, while Niroshan Dickwella also fell to the off-spinner for nought.

Stumper Wriddhiman Saha took four catches in the innings but it was otherwise a slipshod performance by the Indian fielders.

 “Players are not machines. You feel angry as a bowler but it’s part and parcel of the game,” paceman Mohammad Shami said.

“After a long time, we dropped so many catches. We have enough time to work hard on it and improve our catching.”

India 1st innings 536 for 7 decl (V. Kohli 243, M. Vijay 155, R. Sharma 65; L. Sandakan 4-167)

Sri Lanka 1st innings (Overnight: 131-3)

Dimuth Karunaratne               c Saha b Shami             0  

Dilruwan Perera                  lbw b Jadeja               42 

Dhananjaya de Silva              lbw b I. Sharma            1  

Angelo Mathews                   c Saha b R. Ashwin         111

Dinesh Chandimal                 not out                    147

Sadeera Samarawickrama           c Saha b I. Sharma         33 

Roshen Silva                     c S. Dhawan b R. Ashwin    0  

Niroshan Dickwella               b R. Ashwin                0  

Suranga Lakmal                   c Saha b Shami             5  

Lahiru Gamage                    lbw b Jadeja               1  

Lakshan Sandakan                 not out                    0  

Extras                           (b-4 lb-5 nb-2 pen-5)      16 

Total                            (for 9 wickets, 130 overs) 356

Fall of wickets: 1-0 D. Karunaratne,2-14 D. de Silva,3-75 D. Perera,4-256 A. Mathews,5-317 S. Samarawickrama,6-318 R. Silva,7-322 N. Dickwella,8-331 S. Lakmal,9-343 L. Gamage

Bowling                    

M. Shami                         24 - 6 - 74 - 2(nb-1)         

I. Sharma                        27 - 6 - 93 - 2               

R. Jadeja                        44 - 13 - 85 - 2(nb-1)        

R. Ashwin                        35 - 8 - 90 - 3                

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India captain Virat Kohli smashed a career-best 243, his second successive double hundred, before a blanket of smog prompted him to declare on 536 for seven in the third and final test against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

The home side’s attack then turned the screw even further on the visitors when they reduced Sri Lanka to 131-3 on the second day.

Angelo Mathews capitalised on an early reprieve to score 57 not out and skipper Dinesh Chandimal was on 25 with Sri Lanka still 405 behind on a hazy day in the Indian capital.

Behind in the match and struggling in the conditions, several Sri Lankan players returned from the lunch break sporting facemasks as the seasonal haze affecting the region thickened over the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.

The smog eventually held up play twice and 22 minutes was lost in total as Lahiru Gamage and his pace colleague Suranga Lakmal both left the field during the second session as they found it difficult to breathe.

Umpires Nigel Llong and Joel Wilson were discussing the air quality with the tourists when Kohli signalled his team in.

Until then, the stadium’s near-capacity crowd was treated to some elegant shot-making by Kohli, who hit 25 crisp boundaries in his master class spread over seven-and-half hours.

The 29-year-old became the first international captain to score six double centuries, all of them coming in the last 17 months.

His latest looked a mere formality after India, chasing a record-equalling ninth consecutive test series victory, resumed on 371-4.

Kohli’s partner in a 135-run fifth-wicket stand, Rohit Sharma, smacked left-arm wrist-spinner Lakshan Sandakan (4-167) over long-off for a six but all eyes were on Kohli as he approached the 200-mark.

The skipper took two runs off Lakmal to bring up his double century, celebrating it by leaping into the air before removing his helmet to acknowledge the applause.

Rohit hit Perera over the spinner’s head for a six to bring up his fifth consecutive test fifty.

Just when it looked like Sri Lanka would endure yet another wicketless session, Rohit edged Sandakan to be caught behind for 65.

When India came out to bowl, Mohammad Shami dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne for a duck with the first ball of the innings and Ishant Sharma trapped Dhananjaya de Silva lbw for one to immediately dent the tourists’ reply.

Dilruwan Perera, spilled in the slip when on 16, made 42 before Ravindra Jadeja dismissed him leg-before. Sri Lanka were also denied the services of opener Sadeera Samarawickrama, who suffered a mild concussion on Saturday and was advised by doctors to skip play on Sunday.

India 1st innings (Overnight: 371-4)

M. Vijay                         st Dickwella b Sandakan               155

S. Dhawan                        c Lakmal b D. Perera                  23 

C. Pujara                        c Samarawickrama b Gamage             23 

V. Kohli                         lbw b Sandakan                        243

A. Rahane                        st Dickwella b Sandakan               1  

Ro. Sharma                       c Dickwella b Sandakan                65 

R. Ashwin                        c D. Perera b Gamage                  4  

W. Saha                          not out                               9  

R. Jadeja                        not out                               5  

Extras                           (lb-1 nb-7)                           8  

Total                            (for 7 wickets declared, 127.5 overs) 536

Fall of wickets: 1-42 S. Dhawan,2-78 C. Pujara,3-361 M. Vijay,4-365 A. Rahane,5-500 Ro. Sharma,6-519 R. Ashwin,7-523 V. Kohli

Did not bat: M. Shami, I. Sharma

Bowling                    

Suranga Lakmal                   21.2 - 2 - 80 - 0                        

Lahiru Gamage                    25.3 - 7 - 95 - 2                        

Dilruwan Perera                  31.1 - 0 - 145 - 1                       

Lakshan Sandakan                 33.5 - 1 - 167 - 4(nb-7)                 

Dhananjaya de Silva              16 - 0 - 48 - 0                          

Sri Lanka 1st innings      

Dimuth Karunaratne               c Saha b Shami                        0  

Dilruwan Perera                  lbw b Jadeja                          42 

Dhananjaya de Silva              lbw b I. Sharma                       1  

Angelo Mathews                   not out                               57 

Dinesh Chandimal                 not out                               25 

Extras                           (nb-1 pen-5)                          6  

Total                            (for 3 wickets, 44.3 overs)           131

Fall of wickets: 1-0 D. Karunaratne,2-14 D. de Silva,3-75 D. Perera

To bat: N. Dickwella, R. Silva, L. Sandakan, S. Samarawickrama, S. Lakmal, L. Gamage

Bowling                    

M. Shami                         11 - 3 - 30 - 1(nb-1)                    

I. Sharma                        10 - 4 - 44 - 1                           

R. Jadeja                        14.3 - 6 - 24 - 1                        

R. Ashwin                        9 - 3 - 28 - 0  

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India’s run-machine Virat Kohli and in-form Murali Vijay smashed big centuries in a massive 283-run stand to deflate Sri Lanka on the opening day of the third and final test on Saturday.

The tourists claimed two wickets in the morning session and two more in the final one but it otherwise was a microcosm of a series dominated by the hosts as India scored at more than four runs an over to reach 371 for four 4 at the close.

Kohli remained not out after a majestic 156, which contained 16 fours and followed his 104 not out in the first test in Kolkata and 213 in Nagpur.

The 29-year-old also joined the 5,000-test run club in his 105th innings.

Rohit Sharma was on six at the other end, with the hosts chasing a record-equalling ninth consecutive test series win after Kohli won the toss.

Right-handed opener Lokesh Rahul made way for the left-handed Shikhar Dhawan as India, 1-0 up in the series, shuffled the top of their batting order for a third match in a row.

Dhawan could not make the most of the opportunity, though, his attempted sweep shot off Dilruwan Perera finding Suranga Lakmal at deep square leg.

The opener made 23 before becoming the off-spinner’s 100th test victim in a Sri Lankan record of 25 tests, two less than spin great Muttiah Muralitharan.

Cheteshwar Pujara hit four boundaries before walking into a Sri Lankan trap.

Paceman Lahiru Gamage stationed Sadeera Samarawickrama at leg slip and bowled the perfect delivery which Pujara tickled to the fielder to depart for 23.

Kohli, however, was simply unstoppable as the right-hander scored at nearly a run a ball, treating the weekend crowd to some exciting shot-making.

Gamage was on the receiving end of Kohli’s sublime batting in an eventful 37th over when the batsman hit the bowler for three boundaries - a drive through extra cover, followed by a leg glance and an imperious pull in front of square.

Vijay brought up his 11th test century with a ninth four, celebrating the feat with a little jig.

The right-hander, who scored 128 in Nagpur, hit 13 boundaries in his elegant 155 before a lapse in concentration.

Left-arm wrist-spinner Lakshan Sandakan, one of the three new faces in the Sri Lankan team, dismissed Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane stumped in successive overs in the final session.

“We saw glimpse of what he can do at the end, we wish it had come two sessions earlier,” bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake said of Sandakan’s performance.

Team manager Asanka Gurusinha said opener Samarawickrama, who was hit on the helmet by a Vijay sweep, was fine but would be assessed on Sunday before being allowed to play.

“We did some precautionary scans, everything is clear but we have to monitor him tonight. Doctors will see him tomorrow morning and decide whether he’ll play tomorrow or not,” Gurusinghe added.

India 1st innings          

M. Vijay                         st Dickwella b Sandakan   155

S. Dhawan                        c Lakmal b D. Perera      23 

C. Pujara                        c Samarawickrama b Gamage 23 

V. Kohli                         not out                   156

A. Rahane                        st Dickwella b Sandakan   1  

Ro. Sharma                       not out                   6  

Extras                           (lb-1 nb-6)               7  

Total                            (for 4 wickets, 90 overs) 371

Fall of wickets: 1-42 S. Dhawan,2-78 C. Pujara,3-361 M. Vijay,4-365 A. Rahane

To bat: R. Ashwin, W. Saha, R. Jadeja, M. Shami, I. Sharma

Bowling                     

Suranga Lakmal                   14 - 2 - 50 - 0              

Lahiru Gamage                    17 - 6 - 68 - 1              

Dilruwan Perera                  21 - 0 - 97 - 1              

Lakshan Sandakan                 23 - 1 - 110 - 2(nb-3)        

Dhananjaya de Silva              15 - 0 - 45 - 0   

 

NEW DELHI AFP Dec2, 2017: Opener Murali Vijay hit a half-century as India reached 116-2 at lunch after electing to bat against Sri Lanka in the third and final Test in New Delhi on Saturday.
Vijay, on 51, and skipper Virat Kohli, on 17, were batting at the break after the hosts lost two of their top batsmen at Feroz Shah Kotla.
Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera got Shikhar Dhawan for 23 -- his 100th Test scalp -- while paceman Lahiru Gamage sent Cheteshwar Pujara back in the pavilion for 23 as well.

India win toss and bat against Sri Lanka in third Test

\NEW DELHI AFP Dec2, 2017- India skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first in the third and final Test against Sri Lanka in New Delhi on Saturday.
The hosts, who lead the three-match series 1-0 after thrashing Sri Lanka in the second Test, made two changes to the team as they prepare for the upcoming tour of South Africa in January.
Fit-again paceman Mohammed Shami and opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan return to the XI in place of Umesh Yadav and Lokesh Rahul.
“Will be something for the bowlers in the first session. Want our openers to have that challenge,” Kohli said at the toss.
“Our mindset of preparation has been taken in a wrong way. We don't want to take anything away from our opposition here. Even in South Africa, it won't be about the opposition, but about the conditions,” he added.
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal tried to boost the morale of his side, which barely managed to draw the first Test and then suffered an innings and 239-run defeat in Nagpur.
“After the second game, we sat down as a team and had a chat (about) what went wrong as a team,” he said.
The visitors made three changes to their starting line-up with debutant batsman Roshen Silva, Dhananjaya de Silva and Lakshan Sandakan making their way into the team.

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper), Roshen Silva, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Gamage Umpires: Nigel Llong (ENG), Joel Wilson (WIS) TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)