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India well in control after reducing Sri Lanka to 67/3 at stumps on Day 4 of 3rd Test at Colombo (SSC)

Ishant Sharma currently has 199 wickets, and has a great chance to reach 200 on Day Five.

© AFP
India are in complete control of the third Test © AFP

Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav reduced Sri Lanka to 21 for 3 before Kaushal Silva and Angelo Mathews resisted as the hosts ended the day at 67 for 3, still 319 runs adrift of the 386-run target India set them in the third and final Test at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo. As has been the case throughout this Test, stumps were called early due to poor playing conditions. Tensions had escalated toward the end of India’s innings with Ishant having a run-in with Dhammika Prasad and Dinesh Chandimal. India’s pace spearhead had a stare-down with Dhammika, who kept bowling bouncers at India’s No. 11. Ishant ducked a few times, and then took a single, angrily taunting Dhammika while taking the run. Ishant also brushed past Chandimal along the way. The situation looked like an explosive one but luckily it did not escalate into anything ugly as Ravichandran Ashwin was the last man to be dismissed for a defiant 58 as India were bowled out for 274. Live Cricket Scorecard: India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Test at Colombo (SSC)

Ishant was sufficiently fired up by now. Sri Lanka got off to a terrible start when Upul Tharanga edged to Naman Ojha for a duck in the first over itself. No. 3 batsman Dimuth Karunaratne was next out, edging Umesh to Naman also for a duck. At 7 for 2, Dinesh Chandimal came in and started off positively as he had in the first innings as well. He hit three boundaries, but Ishant returned to get him caught at slip. KL Rahul once again dove to take the catch, but ended up dropping another catch; luckily Virat Kohli stepped in and took the catch on the rebound. Mathews and Silva then played positively to take Sri Lanka to 67 for 3. Live Cricket Updates: India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Colombo, Day 4

Earlier, a dramatic period of play after tea saw India get bowled out for 274, adding 40 runs after tea with Ashwin scoring 58. Amit Mishra made a case for himself to bat higher up the order with a delightful 39, putting on an attractive 55-run stand with Ravichandran Ashwin (27*) to take India to 234 for 8 at tea on Day Four. India enjoyed another productive session after lunch, losing the wickets of Stuart Binny and Naman Ojha but scoring runs at a rapid rate to stretch their already imposing lead to a massive 345. Mishra was unfortunate to be dismissed on the stroke of tea, clipping to short leg but getting run out thanks to Kaushal Silva’s fantastic reflexes. Binny was out for a crucial 49 while Naman once again got well set before throwing away his start, getting out for a well-compiled 35. READ: Ishant Sharma involved in altercation with Dhammika Prasad in India vs Sri Lanka 2015, 3rd Test

Rohit Sharma scored an attractive 50 but fell immediately thereafter while Stuart Binny played an effective but lucky innings as India reached 132 for 5 at lunch. Binny and Naman Ojha were unbeaten at lunch, with India 243 runs ahead. Rohit and Virat Kohli resumed with India in trouble at 21 for 3 overnight, and put on a 57-run partnership before Kohli fell to his old foe, the off-stump line. Nuwan Pradeep took his third wicket of the innings when he induced a poke from Kohli outside off stump as Upul Tharanga took the catch at slip. That brought in Binny, who came out with the intent of scoring quick runs. READ: Sri Lanka’s batting woes — scary and disturbing

Binny and Rohit played with freedom, taking on the bowlers and upsetting the rhythm they had worked so hard to maintain. Rohit hit four fours and a six, while Binny hit seven boundaries in a stroke-filled but fortunate innings. Binny slogged at a few and either missed or edged wide of fielders, but he received a huge reprieve when he missed a ball from Rangana Herath only to see wicketkeeper Kusal Perera fluff an easy stumping chance. Binny ensured that Sri Lanka paid a price, remaining unbeaten on 38 at lunch with Naman for company. READ: Ishant Sharma must learn to be consistent

Earlier, Dhammika Prasad kept up with his trend of picking up a wicket early in the innings when he clean bowled India’s first-innings hero Cheteshwar Pujara for a two-ball duck. Nuwan Pradeep then picked up both KL Rahul and No. 3 Ajinkya Rahane to leave India reeling at 7 for 3. Rahul was dismissed in almost identical fashion to the way he was dismissed in the first innings, leaving a ball that seamed in slightly and getting bowled. Rahane meanwhile was caught on the crease, getting out LBW for 4. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma took India to 21 for 3 before the skies opened up once again and play had to be called off early for the third day in a row. READ: KL Rahul has talent, but lacks the consistency needed for Test cricket

Brief scores:

India 312 (Cheteshwar Pujara 145*, Amit Mishra 59; Dhammika Prasad 4 for 100) and 274 (Rohit Sharma 50, Stuart Binny 49, Ravichandran Ashwin 58; Nuwan Pradeep 4 for 62, Dhammika Prasad 4 for 69) lead Sri Lanka 201 (Kusal Perera 55, Rangana Herath 49; Ishant Sharma 5 for 54, Stuart Binny 2 for 24, Amit Mishra 2 for 25) and 67 for 3 (Kaushal Silva 24*, Angelo Mathews 22*; Ishant Sharma 2 for 14) by 319 runs.

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(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a self-confessed Sci-Fi geek who loves cricket more than cricketers. His Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)

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