Ashwin, Jadeja edge India closer to big win

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin took three of the seven wickets in an extended morning session to leave Sri Lanka staring at a huge defeat on the fourth day of the second Test

India spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja shared five wickets to leave Sri Lanka staring at a huge defeat on the fourth day of the second Test on Monday.

At lunch the visitors were 145-8, needing another 260 runs to avoid an innings defeat against the top-ranked Test side in Nagpur.

The Sri Lankans, who started the day on 21-1 after conceding a 405-run first innings lead, showed little application as the Indian spinners ran riot.

Skipper Dinesh Chandimal, on 53, and Suranga Lakmal, on 19, were batting at the break.

Ashwin and Jadeja shared five of the seven wickets to fall in an extended morning session.

Top-ranked India have two sessions and a day left to go one up in the three-Test series after the first match ended in a draw last week.

Jadeja, who has taken two wickets so far, struck early in the morning session when the left-arm spinner got opener Dimuth Karunaratne caught at short leg for 18.

The left-handed Karunaratne, who resumed the day on 11, got an inside edge on a tossed up delivery from Jadeja and Murali Vijay took a sharp catch.

Karunaratne’s overnight partner Lahiru Thirimanne was guilty of a careless shot way outside the off stump to hand a simple catch to Jadeja off paceman Umesh Yadav. He made 23.

Off-spinner Ashwin then took charge to get rid of Sri Lanka’s lower order with a triple strike as the visitors sank further.

Earlier skipper Virat Kohli hit a double century on day three as India declared their first innings on 610-6 to get a firm grip on the match.

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