India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Test: Day 1 at Feroz Shah Kotla
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Image Source : APCaptain Virat Kohli and opener Murali Vijay made a mockery of sub-par Sri Lankan attack with effortless centuries as India cruised to 371 for four on the first day of the third and final Test in Delhi. Skipper Kohli (156 batting), who is on a record-breaking spree, smashed his 20th hundred in company of Vijay (155) as they added 283 runs for the third wicket. Sri Lankan bowlers were not even capable of bowling to the set field as Vijay hit 13 boundaries while Kohli's innings had 16 boundaries.
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Image Source : AP
The skipper made it look like a knocking session against a bowling attack, which at times looked inferior than a middle-rung first-class side playing Ranji Trophy. Kohli also became the first international captain to score a hat-trick of hundreds in a three-Test series. If Kohli intimidated the Sri Lankans with his range of strokes, the sublime Vijay punished them with a innumerable cuts throughout the day. Watching the Lankans bowl without any sense of purpose, a former India player turned commentator made a classic comment. Lahiru Gamage at best could be a third pacer of a mid-level Ranji Trophy side!
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Image Source : AP
Murali Vijay reached his personal landmark - 11th in longest version with a back-foot cover drive off chinaman Lakshan Sandakan. He did a little celebratory jig after that. Kohli reached three-figure mark in the post-tea session off 110 balls also his fastest in the format. While the home team scored runs at a fast clip at more than four runs per over, both Shikhar Dhawan (23) and Cheteshwar Pujara (23) would certainly rue the missed chance on one of the flattest decks on offer.
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Image Source : AP
Sri Lanka have ended the day with something to cheer, but India dominated another day of the 3-match series. Hundreds from Vijay and Kohli have powered the hosts into a commanding position from where they can control this Test match like they did the previous one. Apart from Sandakan, who did trouble Vijay occasionally, Sri Lanka didn't seem like having a chance of breaking the third-wicket partnership which went about its merry way right from the word go. Playing his first match of the series - chinaman Lakshan Sandakan finished the day with figures of 2 for 110.