DAY TWO PREVIEW
Follow UsAfter a long time, crowds were let in at full capacity at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru and it was an action-packed day. On a day that completely belonged to the bowlers, Shreyas Iyer’s innings of 92 was an absolute gem.
On the first day itself, spinners got turn and there were explosions off the pitch making it difficult for the Indian batters. However, Shreyas took a stand by counter-attacking the Sri Lankan spinners. His 92 from 98 balls consisted of 10 fours and four sixes helped India post a total of 252, which was above par on this pitch.
In reply, Sri Lanka are in complete shambles at the end of the first day. They lost half their side at the score of 50 and as an icing on the cake, Angelo Mathews who was looking good was dismissed at the stroke of stumps. Sri Lanka are 166 behind with only four wickets in hand. In total, 16 wickets fell on day one, which is the most in a day/night Test.
The total of 252 looks distant, but the onus is on Niroshan Dickwella to take Sri Lanka as close as possible to the first innings score of India. He has been in these situations before and has done pretty well when he bats with the tail-enders. Since his debut in Tests in 2014, Dickwella has scored over 600 runs at an average of 39.2 when he has batted with number eight or below.
A tough barrier called India
India at home are definitely one of the toughest teams to beat and that is universally accepted. Sri Lanka in the first Test match got a taste of it as well. India are playing their fourth day/night Test and third at home. Prior to this match, though they lost to Australia, they had conceded only 191 in their first innings and rest was the worst phase of their cricketing history.
Apart from the innings in which Australia chased 93, India in their remaining five innings have bowled out their opponents below 200. Bangladesh in the first-ever day/night Test for India in 2019, scored 195 in their first innings, which is the highest. England in 2021 in Ahmedabad, scored 112 in the first innings and 86 in the second.
To add more to India’s home domination, in Tests since 2018, no team batting second has taken a lead over India and none of them have gone on to win the match. The average score for teams batting second against India at home has been 203. In the aforementioned time, batsmen in the second innings against India at home have averaged 18.8, the second-lowest. In Sri Lanka’s perspective, even if they manage to score that average score, it will be a huge bonus.
A litmus Test for Mayank Agarwal
Following a grand start to his Test career, Mayank Agarwal has been lagging behind since the start of the South African series. Apart from his half-century in difficult conditions in Centurion, he hasn’t had a good innings. In 2022, Mayank averages 18 in six innings. In general, a barren streak of six innings is not a long one. However, with KL Rahul cementing his spot as an opener and Shubman Gill waiting in the ranks, Mayank needs runs.
To his agony, he needs to prove his worth in the second innings (3rd or 4th inning of a Test), which has been his biggest hurdle. In Tests, Mayank averages 57.1 in his first innings as compared to 19 in his second. Moreover, this is the last possible chance, at least this year, to prove himself.
Can Kohli end his quest for the 71st?
The entire cricketing fraternity has been waiting ages for Virat Kohli’s 71st international century. With almost four days left and no Tests further this year, apart from the uncompleted fifth Test against England, Kohli will be eyeing for it. If not Kohli, his fans would surely hope for it and where better than the Chinnaswamy, to achieve it.
