As it happened - India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Bengaluru, 3rd day

Dimuth Karunaratne defied India for 173 balls. In constructing a fine 14th Test century, he showed his teammates hitting your way out of trouble wasn’t the only way to succeed on a tough track that aided sharp turn and variable bounce. Then he got a pearl from Jasprit Bumrah that breached through his defence. Even someone as well set as he was couldn’t quite judge the extent of late inward movement. On the face of a relentless attack, the others proved to be sitting ducks as their high-risk, high-returns strategy fell flat. India picked up the remaining nine wickets they needed to wrap up an emphatic 2-0 series win inside two sessions on the third day. The series lasted all of six days, with Sri Lanka’s 210 all out in their final innings on tour, in Bengaluru, being their highest of the series.

The lights are starting to take effect and the ball starts to do things. Not that Bumrah needed it to. He gets the ball to bend back in wildly from around the stumps. Literally commands it to curve in late. Karunaratne doesn't think he has done much wrong in trying to play down the ground, but even a set batsman of his calibre can't quite judge how much this comes back in. The ball sneaks through his defences and Bumrah has another. What a bowler. Sri Lanka near the exit door.

Enters the 90s and plays an audacious reverse sweep off Axar. Then plays a proper conventional sweep in front of square for four. Tries another reverse and misses Then puts his head down, knocks them into the gaps. And raises his century with a neat flick to the backward square leg fence off Bumrah. Polished knock on a tough pitch.

In October last year, Charith Asalanka made a splash at the T20 World Cup. In an otherwise disappointing campaign for Sri Lanka, he was among the bright spots. Hitting 231 sparkling runs in six innings. His timing, stroke play, audacity - everything earning plaudits from several experts. He struck those runs at 147. Almost immediately, those exploits earned him a Test call-up. A debut came his way when West Indies toured late last year, and since then, five innings have fetched him 83 runs.

It begs the question: was he picked on the back of white-ball form? He has a grand sum of one century in 41 first-class games. For someone in the top five, you'd think he'd be asked to do a lot more. That said, his average is still a more-than-respectable 49. It's time for him to replay the faith. He didn't help his cause one bit by getting out to an ugly hoick in the first innings. Hasn't helped his cause in the second innings, tamely lobbing a catch to backward short leg off Axar. Sri Lanka on the brink with Karunaratne in danger of being stranded.

Dickwella runs out of patience. He plays what can best be described as an injudicious shot, Karunaratne isn't pleased one bit as he looks away. Dickwella runs down the pitch, never mind the flatter trajectory of this one. Swings leg side to clear deep midwicket but the ball slides through straight on with Pant effecting an excellent stumping. Sri Lanka five down. India with a wicket almost immediately post tea.

It's been India's session. For the first 45 minutes, Sri Lanka frustrated them as Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne picked runs at will before Ashwin broke the 97-run stand. Then Sri Lanka lost two more, but the captain has batted calmly to bring up his 28th Test fifty. Niroshan Dickwella has come in and looked busy like he usually does, without playing too many extravagant strokes.

The odd ball has reared awkwardly, deliveries have scooted low along the ground. So there continues to be variable bounce. Ashwin and Jadeja looked threatening, but Axar hasn't been consistent, veering into middle and leg. As a result of not being able to land it properly, he has lacked the bite. All said, India will be very happy with where they are. Sri Lanka have shown fight, and will want to take it forward for as long as they can.

Pant did a Dickwella in jumping up and down and yelping out a massive appeal for caught behind. He celebrated wildly as Nitin Menon gave him out, but had a cheeky grin the moment Dickwella referred it upstairs. In deciding to opt for DRS even before the finger went up fully, Dickwella doused Jadeja's excitement immediately. Replays confirm no tickle down the leg side.

The first two wickets to fall today were to deliveries that didn't turn. Dhananjaya de Silva becomes the first to fall today to one that grips and turns. Caught jabbing at a delivery with Vihari taking a fine catch at short leg. No. 440 for Ashwin.

Does Kusal Mendis in with drift and dip. Kusal steps out to smother one but is beaten by the skid off the pitch as Rishabh Pant effects a simple stumping. It's a timely wicket for India who were beginning to get frustrated by this sustained aggression from Dimuth and Kusal.

By the way, that's also No. 439 for R Ashwin. Having surpassed Kapil Dev's tally of 434 wickets in the first innings, he's now on level terms with South African great Dale Steyn. Next up is West Indies great Courtney Walsh, who has 519 Test wickets. Here's the entire list.

On a surface that's turning big, the most dangerous delivery is often the one that doesn't. Mathews has just found out the hard way. Plays outside the line to Jadeja and the ball sneaks through to flatten the stumps. For 45 minutes, Sri Lanka held fort, and now have lost two in two overs.

Thirty minutes. Eight overs. Forty-two runs. Six boundaries. Kusal Mendis too has started aggressively, committing himself fully forward or back against spin. The decisiveness has stood out. It hasn't bothered him yet that he's had a couple of deliveries scoot low or beat the outside edge. He has brought up his 12th half-century off just 57 balls. Can he convert this?

Dimuth Karunaratne has immediately signalled his intention of being positive. Twice in the first over he stepped out to negate Jadeja’s landing on the rough. Once, he attempted an uncharacteristic reverse sweep. This isn’t the stonewaller we’re used to seeing. Taking a leaf out of Shreyas Iyer’s copy book.