India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test has been quite an enthralling one so far. India have looked like running away with the match, only for a Dinesh Chandimal special to keep SL in the game and take this Test match into Day 4, a day which promises to be another cannot-take-your-eyes-off-it one.
After all the crazy scoring by Sri Lanka on Day 3, though, the fact remains the same – India are the favourites, even if not as clear as day as Day 2, and Sri Lanka need to produce some outstanding cricket to pull this match out of the bag.
The question on Day 4 will be if Sri Lanka have any more rabbit left to pull out of the hat. The most important of rabbits came to the fore on Friday, with Kumar Sangakkara, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne and Jehan Mubarak all making contributions to a second innings total that means India have to chase down 176 to win.
Out of those 176 runs, 23 runs have already been scored by India, albeit with the loss of the wicket of KL Rahul, and a spectacular batting collapse will be necessary for Virat Kohli's men to fail in this chase.
India have had the penchant for those spectacular collapses of late, and while most of them have come in more alien conditions, Sri Lanka will hold on to that hope. The hope of triggering that collapse by bowling well at the India batsmen.
Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma are at the crease for India, and the longer the two can bat together, the better it will be for them. It doesn't matter too much how quickly they score, considering there are two full days to run down the remaining 153 needed, because if India can wear down the Sri Lanka bowlers, the better their chances of completing the chase will become.
Ishant showed he can stifle the opposition with his batting in the first innings, and Dhawan will rely on that stability when he goes into bat on Day 4 morning.
Dhawan has had an outstanding Test match so far, scoring a hundred in the first innings, despite a nasty injury to his right hand. That injury kept him out of the field for the entire Sri Lanka innings, but it did not stop him from walking out to open the innings in the India chase.
He looked good too in the eight overs on Day 3 that India had to play, and if Dhawan stays in the middle for the entire first session, you feel India will have the match sealed.
So, there is no doubt that Sri Lanka will look for his prized scalp early on Day 4, and if India can weather that storm, they should be able to walk away smelling like roses.
Where to Watch Live
Get the Live Blog of the Match on Day 4 HERE
Sri Lanka vs India Day 4 1st Test match is scheduled for a 10 am local time (10 am IST, 5.30 am BST, 12.30 am ET) start. Sony Six [English] and Sony Kix [Hindi] will show Day 4 of the 1st Test match live in India, while the live streaming option is available on Livsports.
Audience in the US can watch India vs Sri Lanka live on Willow TV, with the live stream option on Willow Online.
Viewers in Sri Lanka, and the rest of the Indian subcontinent, can catch the match action of the India vs Sri Lanka Test match on Sony Six.
