Published: Aug 15, 2015, 10:15 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 15, 2015, 10:15 AM (IST)
The Indian contingent in Sri Lanka, on the occasion of India’s 69th independence day, came together to sing the national anthem. The video of this was posted on the Twitter handle of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and at the end of the anthem, it seemed flag hoisting was also done. India, on Saturday, were bracing themselves to chase 176 to clinch a win in the first Test in Galle, and are 23 for 1 at the end of the third day. If they chase successfully, India will have their first win on independence day, that is, on August 15. It seemed India could take the win on Friday, but a counterattacking, unbeaten century from Dinesh Chandimal helped Sri Lanka score enough to make India bat again, and avoid an innings defeat. READ: Virat Kohli wishes India Happy Independence Day
#TeamIndia #जयहिन्द @imVkohli @SDhawan25 @klrahul11 @ImRo45 @ajinkyarahane88 @ashwinravi99 @harbhajan_singh https://t.co/nNuCsA50xH
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 15, 2015
Sri Lanka will hope to avoid another series defeat at home after conceding another three-Test series 2-1 to Pakistan a few weeks ago. Kumar Sangakkara, the eminent middle-order batsman for the home side, will retire after the second Test in the ongoing series, and it will be a fitting farewell for him if his team rally around him to deliver a win. He will finish with 134 Tests, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. READ: Will India register their first win on Independence Day in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle?
Virat Kohli, the India captain, has also sent a message via the BCCI on the occasion of independence day. Although the wicket of KL Rahul has been lost, India have a good chance of securing the chase as there are a couple of days for them to do it. India’s previous Test win in the country arrived in 2010, when VVS Laxman scored a century and Sachin Tendulkar scored a half-century to give India a drawn series, after they had lost a Test earlier in the series.
Overall, they have won only four Tests in Sri Lanka. They have a chance to clinch their fifth.
