India had a great chance to kill the match but a big collapse triggered by the unthinking

India missed out on a great opportunity to throw Sri Lanka totally out of the first Test at Galle on Sunday but thanks to a collapse that saw them lose four important wickets for just 70 runs, the hosts got back into the contest.

(ANI Pic Service)The wickets of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul particularly dented India’s aspirations. Pant started from his overnight score of 27 as India resumed day two on 288/2, looking good for a mammoth total upwards of 500.

What Happened

Yes, the pitch was not exactly friendly to batting on Sunday on account of the rains but it wasn’t, by any means, spitting venom. In the recent past, so many times he has got out in a similar fashion.

• To sum it up, he said it was going to be hard work.

• He added — and that sounded a bit alarming, if truth be told -- that the Indian bowlers, particularly the spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar, will have to bowl.

• He said the nature of the pitch was going to change all the time according to the weather conditions, which basically means if there is no rain tomorrow and as a result there is.

Key Details

With that shot off debutant spinner Keshara Nuwantha into the hands of Sonal Dinusha wide of long-on, he has now put himself under more pressure. Test cricket is all he has got now as far as international cricket is concerned.

• Jurel, who was part of the India A squad in June-July in Sri Lanka and got a century and a fifty in three first-class innings there, spoke to the media at the end of.

• A team that is aiming to reach the final of the World Test Championship should know better.

• After the first day, the visitors were in the driver’s seat to all intents and purposes; however, on Sunday, they gave Sri Lanka a massive sniff.

Why It Matters

Had he stayed longer, things could have been different for him and the team. His shot selection has been called out in the past, particularly by India great Sunil Gavaskar, but he continues in the same way.

• India’s best chance was to score 500 plus and then put pressure on the Lankan batters, who are a force to reckon with at home.

• The Galle pitch historically plays really well for the first few days before it turns erratic.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by Hindustan Times as more details emerge