With India three down for 133 the game was evenly balanced at one stage but by the end of the day the visitors had taken the advantage when they finished on 344-3.
“From that point onwards we didn’t perhaps execute as well as we had done up to that point. We just released the pressure a little bit. That was the turning session. India got momentum back,” said Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas at the end of the first day of the second Test at the SSC.
“We were probably a fraction short on that wicket. The wicket is very slow and once the ball becomes old you don’t have many weapons as compared to a harder ball. We don’t have to watch the TV and say that,” he said.
“We know (Cheteswar) Pujara scores on the leg-side. That’s what he has done throughout all his career. We were little bit guilty in not getting the ball into other areas and bowling to his strengths. But that’s Test match cricket and that’s why he is a quality cricketer. (Ajinkya) Rahane came and played very well very positive which is what you expect. This is day one and its Test match cricket. It’s about how you bounce back.”
On the question of how well India plays spin Pothas said, “We just finished playing Zimbabwe and the plan they came up with is quite different from what the Indians came up with against spin. This is Test match cricket. The strength of the players is how well they adapt. Our guys have done it very well. The Indians have played well too. It’s like a game of chess. They make a move and then we make a move. The difference is that you don’t get much time to make that move.”
Reflecting on Sri Lanka batting at Galle Pothas said, “We are very honest in our change room. We sat together as a group and the batters themselves said that they were disappointed.
The length of time we exerted pressure on the Indian bowlers. That’s something that all the teams in the world want to do. That’s something that we want to improve on. When a team makes 600 and 3 wickets down declare, you would expect that. We are a very close family in that change room and the discussions are very honest.”
Rahul not disappointed over run out
Indian opener Lokesh Rahul’s whose innings of 57 was rudely cut off by an unfortunate run out over a misunderstanding with his partner Cheteswar Pujara said that he was not upset by the incident.
“I wasn’t upset with him. Run outs happen, it could have happened with anybody. It could have been him who got run out and it could have been my mistake. I wasn’t disappointed about that. I was disappointed because I have been away from the game so long and I didn’t want to get out at all,” said Rahul.
“I wanted to be in the middle, play as many balls as I could. I was disappointed about that.
I was looking good and just after lunch, a crucial time as a batsman you can capitalise and get a lot of runs during in that session. I was disappointed that I got out at that time,” he said.
Commenting on the SSC pitch, Rahul said that he expected it to turn from the bowlers’ footmarks as the match progressed.
“It's completely different from the one we played on the last time around.
When we saw the wicket a couple of days ago, we did expect the wicket to be the same as last time, but today we turned up and the wicket was different,” said Rahul.
“It was on the slower side and I think it will take turn as the days go. The more the footmarks, the more turn and purchase Ashwin and Jadeja can get.
It has crumbled a bit. But like I said a little bit on the slower side but with the footmarks, the ball will do something.”
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