Mohammed Siraj Gets Into Kamil Mishara’s Head Before Prasidh Krishna Sends Him Packing | Watch

India began Day 3 of the second Test against Sri Lanka in a commanding position, having piled up 503/9 declared before putting the hosts under early pressure in Colombo.

India’s strong position in the second Test against Sri Lanka provided the backdrop for another lively morning in Colombo. After declaring on 503/9, Shubman Gill’s side struck early through Prasidh Krishna, but Sri Lanka’s batters attempted to settle after the initial setbacks.

Mohammed Siraj, meanwhile, was still searching for a breakthrough. The Indian quick remained involved in the contest, building pressure and adding a little edge to the battle as Kamil Mishara and Pasindu Sooriyabandara tried to steady Sri Lanka’s innings.

Siraj’s Mind Game Adds A Twist To Mishara’s Dismissal

The moment came during Siraj’s spell when Mishara chose to leave a couple of deliveries outside the off stump. Siraj responded with a few words, and the exchange was noticeable enough for the on-field umpire to step in. Mishara appeared unruffled initially, even smiling during the interaction, but the contest had suddenly gained an extra layer of spice.

What happened next made the sequence particularly interesting. Prasidh returned in the following over and went after Mishara with the short ball. The Sri Lankan opener, who had shown some positive intent and struck three boundaries, was unable to deal with the extra bounce. He awkwardly fended at the delivery, got a glove to it and Dhruv Jurel completed the catch behind the stumps.

Mishara was dismissed for 19 off 25 balls, and Sri Lanka slipped to 35/3. It would be unfair to say Siraj’s exchange alone caused the wicket, but it undoubtedly made the dismissal look like a perfectly timed piece of Test-match theatre. The verbal contest had barely died down before Prasidh exploited Mishara’s discomfort against the rising ball.

Prasidh Leads India’s Charge As Siraj Waits For A Breakthrough

Prasidh was India's standout fast bowler in the morning session, using bounce and pace effectively to trouble the Sri Lankan batters. He added another wicket before lunch, breaking the 87-run partnership between Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis to finish the session with 3/35.

Sri Lanka, however, showed greater resistance after the early collapse, reaching 130/4 at lunch, with Sooriyabandara unbeaten on 65 after completing his maiden Test fifty.

The score at the time of writing this is 169/5 (44), still trailing India's 503/9 declared by 334 runs, with Sooriyabandara continuing to hold the innings together.

For Siraj, the wicket column remained blank at that stage, but his involvement in Mishara’s dismissal was still hard to ignore. Fast bowlers do not always need to take the wicket themselves to influence a contest. Sometimes, sustained pressure, an uncomfortable spell or a well-timed exchange can contribute to the breakthrough from the other end.

India had already established a commanding position through their massive first-innings total, with Dhruv Jurel’s unbeaten 115 and Devdutt Padikkal’s 117 forming the backbone of the score. The bowlers then ensured Sri Lanka were never allowed to settle completely, despite the resistance from Sooriyabandara and Kamindu.