Third Test: Sri Lanka struggle at Tea on Day 2

New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) Sri Lanka were 18/2 in their first innings, trailing by 518 runs against India at tea on the second day of the third and final cricket Test at the Ferozeshah Kotla here on Sunday.

Dilruwan Perera (12) and Angelo Mathews (4) were at the crease when umpires called for the tea break.

After India skipper Virat Kohli declared at 536/7, Sri Lankan batsmen struggled right from the word go as opener Dimuth Karunaratne (0) was caught behind by Wriddhiman Saha off pacer Mohammad Shami on the very first ball of their innings.

The fall of Karunaratne's wicket brought in Dhananjaya de Silva (1), who also failed. After adding 14 runs to the score with Perera, Dhananjaya was adjudged leg before wicket off pacer Ishant Sharma in the sixth over.

Angelo Mathews (4) then came onto the middle just before the umpires dislodged the bails.

For India, Shami and Ishant chipped in with one wicket each.

Earlier, riding on some brilliant batting by skipper Kohli and Rohit Sharma, India declared their first innings for 536/7 in the second session, which was marred by several interruptions due to pollution and injuries.

Kohli amassed 243 runs -- his highest score in Test cricket -- before being trapped lbw when a delivery from left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan turned more than he expected.

It was the sixth double ton of Kohli's career and his third during the current year.

Rohit also batted well at the other end, scoring 65 runs off 102 balls to help India put on a mammoth total.

Wicketkeeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha (9) and middle-order batsman Ravindra Jadeja (5) were at the crease when Kohli decided to declare.

Resuming the day at the overnight total of 371/4, Kohli continued where he left off on Saturday. Rohit, at the other end, supported him by playing some beautifully crafted shots.

Right from the first ball of the morning session, Kohli and Rohit were right on the money. They thrashed the Lankan bowlers at will and maintained a good run rate.

The two added 129 runs between them in the session before the Mumbai batsman was dismissed on the last ball of the session. In the process, Kohli completed his sixth double ton in 238 balls.

The Delhi batsmen thus joined Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag in sharing the record of most number (six) of double centuries for India in Test cricket.

The Sri Lankan bowlers, on the other hand, created several chances but failed to make them count and thus got struggled at the placid wicket.

Just before lunch, Rohit also completed his half century in 88 balls but just when things seemed good in the middle, Rohit was dismissed on the last ball of the session by Sandakan.

For Sri Lanka, Sandakan was the only successful bowler in the morning session.

Brief scores: India 536/7 declared vs Sri Lanka ( Dilruwan Perera 12; Ishant Sharma 1/4).