Shreyas, Pant’s knocks leave Lanka with near-impossible chase

India turned the screw on Sri Lanka on day two of the second Test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, and by stumps ensured that there was a distinct possibility of just one result — a comprehensive win for the host.

On the back of a first-innings lead of 143, Rohit Sharma declared the second essay at 303 for nine on Sunday, setting the Lankans a mammoth 447-run target. The visitors now need to survive three full days or score 419 more runs with nine wickets left, both near-impossible tasks.

Shreyas Iyer top-scored with a chanceless half-century (67, 87b, 9×4), an innings replete with deft cuts and remorseless pulls. Rohit swept and slog-swept his way to 46 (79b, 4×4) while Hanuma Vihari came up with a solid 35 (79b, 4×4).

Marauder-in-chief

But the innings of the day was a swashbuckling half-century from Rishabh Pant (50, 31b, 7×4, 2×6). The 24-year-old walked in at the fall of Vihari with the score at 116 (lead of 259). By accounting for 50 of the next 68 runs India scored, he banished any faint hopes Sri Lanka may have nursed.

It was attacking play of the highest order, and the fifty from 28 balls was the fastest-ever by an Indian, two balls quicker than Kapil Dev’s effort against Pakistan in Karachi in 1982.

Pant smashed the second ball he faced, off left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama, over deep mid-wicket for a giant six. It is a shot with which he routinely stamps his authority. The next half an hour was spent extending it.

He carted Dhananjaya de Silva all over the park, cutting, reverse-sweeping and hoisting him over the long-off boundary for three fours and a six. Suranga Lakmal was welcomed with a dashing four past mid-off.

In between, Virat Kohli fell for a low score yet again (13), with Jayawickrama trapping him in front with a ball that kept low and slid through. For the first time in his last 40 Tests, Kohli’s average dropped below 50.

But Pant ensured that every record, good or not so good, would stand relegated, at least for a day. He brought up his half-century with another fine boundary, this time to extra-cover off Jayawickrama.

The left-hander was eventually out, trying to hoick one on the leg side, with Jayawickrama completing the catch off his own bowling. But by then, he had flattened Lanka.

In the afternoon, India needed just 35 balls to excise the Sri Lankan tail, picking up the four remaining wickets for the addition of just 23 runs to the overnight score of 86.

Jasprit Bumrah claimed two of those, bouncing out Niroshan Dickwella and Lasith Embuldeniya for his first five-wicket haul at home (10-4-24-5). The 28-year-old has seven five-fors abroad, for he has played 25 of 29 Tests outside India.

Home delight

“It feels good. I play three formats and it is not easy to play all games and sometimes I have missed out on home Tests,” said Bumrah. “But to able to contribute for the team is a great thing and I will continue to do so.”