India demolished Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs in the first Test at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. India won the toss and dominated the match from the outset. Rohit Sharma got India off to a fast start but was dismissed for 29 off 28 balls while attempting a pull shot. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said that while the pull might be a productive shot for Rohit, he should put it in “cold storage” till he reaches a big enough score.
Gavaskar, speaking on Star Sports, said that any bowler with a bit of pace won’t mind being hit for a few boundaries by Rohit, if in the end it results in his dismissal.
“He’s got to think about it. If it is getting you out more often than not then the percentages are not working for you. There were a couple of pull shots for boundaries, so you can argue that it is a productive shot but it’s not the only shot. He’s got so many other shots. Now every bowler who has a little bit of pace will be fancying his chances. So, he has got to work the percentages out. If he still thinks the percentages are working in his favour, then go on playing it. At the moment, the percentages aren’t working in his favour, so may be he should put it in cold storage till he gets to 80, 90, 100,” said the Indian batting legend.
Rohit, Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari and Virat Kohli all got good starts but failed to make it count as they were dismissed prematurely. However, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, in particular, made up for it by scoring big.
Pant scored 96 off just 98 balls while Jadeja amassed a brilliant 175 not out as India posted a mammoth 574 for eight declared in the first innings.
Jadeja then returned to haunt the Sri Lankans with the ball, taking a fifer in the first innings as the visitors were packed off for 174.
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India enforced the follow on, and things didn’t get much better for Sri Lanka in the second innings. Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin took four wickets each in the second innings to bundle out Sri Lanka for 178 in the second innings as India recorded a huge win.
The focus now shifts to the second Test in Bengaluru, which will be a day/night affair. The match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium starts from March 12 (Saturday) onwards.
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