Sachin Tendulkar hit his 48th Test century to lead India’s fightback in the second Test yesterday after Sri Lanka ran through the top order.
He was unbeaten on 108 as India, replying to Sri Lanka’s 642 for 4 declared, recovered to 382 for 4 by stumps on the third day at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
India, who lost the opening Test in Galle by 10 wickets to trail 1-0 in the three-match series, need 61 runs more to avoid a second successive follow-on.
PHOTO: AFP
The tourists were 165 for 0 at one stage before suffering a mini-collapse to 173 for 3 in the morning session, as rookie off-spinner Suraj Randiv grabbed two wickets and Ajantha Mendis claimed one.
Tendulkar stood rock-solid at one end for four hours and 37 minutes to anchor India’s revival.
He put on 68 for the fourth wicket with VVS Laxman (29) and 141 for the unbroken fifth with debutant Suresh Raina, who ended the day unbeaten on 66.
Tendulkar reached his fifth hundred this year by sweeping Randiv to the square-leg fence for his 13th boundary.
Sri Lanka were left to rue Tendulkar’s lucky escape on 29 when wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene failed to grasp a head-high catch as the batsman attempted to slice a ball from Dilhara Fernando to third man.
The hosts had changed their entire frontline bowling attack for the match following the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan and after losing fast bowler Lasith Malinga to a knee injury.
However, Randiv stood out with 2 for 108 from 35 overs, while Mendis had 2 for 92 from 26 overs on a wearing surface that afforded bounce and turn to the spinners.
Openers Virender Sehwag (99) and Murali Vijay (58) put on 165 for the first wicket before both fell in the space of 11 deliveries.
Sehwag was one run away from his 21st century when he rushed out to loft Randiv’s first ball of the day, misjudged the line and was stumped.
“I felt bad to get out, not because I missed a century, but because the team needed more runs from me,” the Indian vice-captain said.
“Tendulkar showed how great he is, but Raina played so well it was difficult to make out which of them was the debutant. They pulled us out of a tight corner. The wicket has started to crack up and I think there will be a result in this Test,” Sehwag said.
Vijay compiled a confident half-century but was dismissed when he misread a googly from Mendis and was caught LBW.
Randiv struck a second time before lunch when he trapped Rahul Dravid leg-before for three.
Laxman partnered Tendulkar for most of the afternoon session, before falling just ahead of tea when he was LBW to Mendis.
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