Published: Aug 16, 2016, 05:41 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 16, 2016, 05:41 PM (IST)
The ongoing Test series between Australia and Sri Lanka has seen enough twists and turns to be equated with any Bollywood potboiler. The first two Tests, that saw both the teams competing for dominance, may have resulted in Sri Lankan wins. But the matches, when broken down into sessions, reveal the true story that they were much closer than they appear and it is only brilliance in individual sessions that changed their fate.
The third Test, which is currently underway at Colombo, is no different. While Australia were on the top in the first session on Day 1, Sri Lanka clawed back into the game after Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal scored hundreds. Then it was Australia once again, who dominated the game with Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh’s hundreds. But a Rangana Herath special made it advantage Sri Lanka once again. ALSO READ: Nathan Lyon calls Sri Lanka “home bully”?
And now, just when Sri Lanka were struggling to maintain their hold on the match in their final innings, Kaushal Silva rose to the occasion and scored his third Test ton to take the hosts to a commanding position. Yes, he is the same player who had got only 98 runs in last 11 Test innings, the same player who was demoted due to a combination of injury and poor form, the same player who had split webbing and came out to bat with six stitches.
And when he reached to a brilliant hundred, a rearguard knock, the cricket fraternity as well as cricket fans on social media, heaped praises on Silva’s brave effort. Silva fell for 115 but by then he had put Sri Lanka to a commanding position. Here’s who said what on his fantastic effort:
Well played @SilvaKaushal. Against all odds you proved your mental toughness. So happy and proud of you.
— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) August 16, 2016
He will remember this innings for the rest of his life https://t.co/NjFFwC1aJI
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) August 16, 2016
Well played @SilvaKaushal You beauty !! That was a brave knock… A brilliant knock .. And the team really needed it !!
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) August 16, 2016
Character under pressure. https://t.co/dqLgPhegmw
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) August 16, 2016
Class batting from the young man. Split webbing, tough conditions. https://t.co/cHjhZQyAOm
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) August 16, 2016
What a celebration! That is how much a Test hundred means to Kaushal Silva! – https://t.co/q5CY1UDQ4Y #SLvAus pic.twitter.com/R5BZsXMqy3
— ICC (@ICC) August 16, 2016
Kaushal Silva batting on 107 after scores of
4, 7
5, 2
0
in the series#SLvAus— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 16, 2016
If you told me at innings start that Kaushal Silva would again fail to post a double-figure score this is not what I’d have expected #SLvAUS
— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) August 16, 2016
To score a Test ton vs Australia, despite having 6 stitches on hand, with no scores before, superb effort. Played, Kaushal Silva!
— Nikhil (@CricCrazyNIKS) August 16, 2016
Kaushal Silva gets to a terrific hundred and goes off like a firecracker in celebration. Well played
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) August 16, 2016
This is the longest Kaushal Silva has been away from Dimuth during the past month…
— Seductv (@Seductv) August 16, 2016
Kaushal Silva not opening. Had 6 stitches in webbing of hand. Stings a bit, but here he is batting at 1st drop. Big effort!
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) August 15, 2016
Split webbing, 6 stitches, poor form.. Kaushal Silva overcame all the odds to get a Test ton! WOW #SLvAUS #ausvsl pic.twitter.com/HcaBzT0UTb
— Chinmay Jawalekar (@CricfreakTweets) August 16, 2016
Brilliant, brave and a beautiful knock from Kaushal Silva! Hats off!
— Ashan Godigamuwe (@AGodigamuwe) August 16, 2016
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