Niroshan Dickwella expressed that there was no change in the pitch during the course of the day, despite Sri Lanka putting on contrasting batting performances on the 3rd day of the 2nd Test between Sri Lanka and India at the SSC.
Speaking at the press briefing at the close of play, Dickwella, who made a blistering 51 in the 1st innings, where Sri Lanka crumbled to 183 all out, said that the only difference between the 1st two innings was that Sri Lanka executed their plans well in the 2nd and 3rd sessions of the day.
“We didn’t handle the situation well in the morning session. We could have settled down and batted longer. We were also not positive like we were in the evening sessions…… The track is not easy at all. But we adapted to the situation well later. In the morning session we were nowhere.”
He went on to say that following Sri Lanka’s poor showing earlier in the day, the team had spent quite a while in the dressing room during lunch, coming up with a plan to counter the Indian bowling attack. Sri Lanka lost their last 8 wickets for 133 runs during the 1st session of play today, with Dickwella, Angelo Mathews and Dilruwan Perera being the only players to make some sort of impact in the middle with the bat. It was their attacking approach that Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne adopted in their 191 runs stand in the 2nd innings.
“We came up with a plan for the spinner and the fast bowlers and we managed to execute those plans really well. That’s why we are only 2 down for 200 runs now…. They (Mendis and Karunaratne), used the crease and swept very well. We are happy that they are in good form”
It’s clear that much of the strategy evolved around playing the sweep shots, with Dickwella and Mendis in particular using it to good effect against Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Dickwella reiterated that the sweep shot was the way to go on a pitch such as the one at the SSC.
“I think the sweep and the reverse sweep are the best options against Ashwin and Jadeja. We’ve been training hard to play the sweeps and reverse sweeps. When it’s a spinning wicket, yu have to sweep, that’s the best option.”
Despite their being an element of risk to the shot, Dickwella expressed that it is a risk worth taking, saying, “We have to back ourselves, even if there’s a risk of getting out. Only Chandimal got out playing the sweep.”
During his knock of 51 in the 1st innings, Dickwella hit 7 fours and a six, taking the attack to the spinners Ashwin and Jadeja, who seemed to have spun a web around the batters before him. Known to be an attacking player, Dickwella was confident that despite getting out playing somewhat of a risky shot, the way he played was the way to go.
“I played to my strengths, using the crease and the sweep. I swept maybe up to 80% of the deliveries, that’s why I was able to make a half century.”
Sri Lanka finished day 3 on a high with Kusal Mendis making a brilliant back-to-the-wall century alongside Dimuth Karunaratne’s 92*. But at stumps Sri Lanka were on 209/2, needing 230 runs to avoid an innings defeat.
