Twitter Reactions: Sri Lanka fight hard, but India still on top

After showing some great resilience against the Indian bowlers late on Day 2, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews continued the good work on Day 3 as well and didn’t let India get any early breakthroughs which they were desperately looking for. The two of the senior-most Sri Lankan batters displayed a lot of grit and character and stitched together a 181-run partnership for the fourth wicket to get Sri Lanka into a position where they could think of saving follow-on.

Mathews was however very, very lucky to survive for as long as he did because he was given plenty of opportunities by the Indian fielders. While he was dropped thrice in the slip cordon, one of his catches went down at mid-off too where the substitute fielder Vijay Shankar couldn’t time his jump perfectly to grab a lofted off-drive.

While the partnership of Mathews and Chandimal remained a talking point on Twitter and the twitteratis hailed the duo for their fighting partnership, they took a dig at the two players too for the fact that they didn’t feel the need to wear masks despite batting for almost two sessions under the same kind of weather as yesterday.

Mathews and Chandimal were two of the many Sri Lankan players who had put on masks while fielding on day 2 and were giving the impression that they were having problems breathing, but they surprisingly didn’t have any such problem while batting.

The Twitteratis didn’t hold back from trolling the Indian players too who seemed to be having a competition amongst themselves of dropping catches. Rohit Sharma got a go in the slip cordon today for a change and he immediately proved that he was not the answer to India’s slip catching woes as he dropped a sitter at second slip.

Twitteratis took a sigh of relief late in the day when the Indian bowlers found some rhythm and ran through the Sri Lankan middle and lower order to put India on the driver’s seat again.

Here are a few selected tweets of the day.

Dinesh Chandimal's 147* anchors Sri Lanka through Day 3 in Delhi, bad light bringing an early end to play with the visitors on 356/9 trailing India by 180 runs #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/g6BaMh6pOP

— ICC (@ICC) December 4, 2017

The 476-ball partnership between Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal is the longest for any team against India in Asia since the 641-ball stand between Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis in 2010 in Nagpur. #INDvSL

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) December 4, 2017

Dinesh Chandimal's last two Test centuries have been scored in extreme conditions. 155* in Abu Dhabi heat v Pakistan & 147* in Delhi smog. @chandi_17 #SriLanka #LKA

— Daniel Alexander ? (@daniel86cricket) December 4, 2017

Srilanka’s Angelo Mathews and Skipper Dinesh Chandimal grilled Virat and his boys in the entire first session of 3rd day’s play at Smoggy Delhi !!! #INDvSL

— Nibraz Ramzan (@Nibrazcricket) December 4, 2017

Wat an inning from @chandi_17. Great example set by captain for the youngsters. No word to say. Captain leading from de front.Brilliant?????

— Dhammika Prasad (@imDhammika) December 4, 2017

Congratulations to @chandi_17 . Another fighting & back to the wall 100! the 10th in tests. Brilliant fighting stuff from the captain! So happy and also proud of your efforts as captain batsman! Keep going!

— Roshan Abeysinghe (@RoshanCricket) December 4, 2017

If Sri Lankan cricketers were not able to breath how come two #DineshChandimal and Angelo Mathews hit centuries in the Delhi test? @BCCI_Score

— B Sivakumar (@bsivakumarTOI) December 4, 2017

Smog seems to be beneficial for Sri Lankan team, can see the progress in #indiavssrilanka Delhi test match. Angelo mathews 100+& Dinesh Chandimal 70 not out. 🙂 @BCCI

— Ankit shukla (@akshukla007) December 4, 2017

Dinesh chandimal should be presented an Oscar with a new category "Over Action" #INDvSL #KotlaIssue

— Anoop Sriram (@ramuanoop) December 3, 2017

2 consecutive 50s in the 2nd Test, followed by an excellent 100 in the 3rd Test, Skipper @chandi_17 leading Sri Lanka’s fight back #INDvSL

— Azzam Ameen (@AzzamAmeen) December 4, 2017

Defence .. Defence .. trust your defence !!! #INDvSL The difference between Mathews and Chandimal to the rest today !!

— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) December 4, 2017

Valiant effort by Chandimal. Batted all day for his country. And without a mask #INDvSL

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) December 4, 2017

Sri Lanka, masks needed? Obviously not! Because you're going well now. #INDvSL

— Jaanvi ? (@ThatCricketGirl) December 4, 2017

Well played Angela Matthews, Don’t forget to give credit to indian fielders!! #IndvSL

— Monica (@monicas004) December 4, 2017

Mathews-Chandimal is the first visiting pair in India in last 5 years to share a partnership of 400+ balls. Last: 470 balls by Bell-Trott, Nagpur, 2013. #IndvSL

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) December 4, 2017

This kind of slip catching is totally unacceptable before an overseas tour ! #INDvSL

— Nabaneet Mishra ? (@navi_NM007) December 4, 2017

Rohit doesn’t want to fall behind Virat in any aspect of the game. He dropped a catch? I can also drop one you see.

— Abhishek (@Sajjanlaunda) December 4, 2017

Brilliant Hundred From Mathews , ? From 231 balls With 12 Fours & 2 Six . He his Scoring 100 After 37 Innings in Tests . Well Played !#INDvSL

— Johns ? (@CricCrazyJohns) December 4, 2017

Runs banaane ke baad ab lagta hai catch drop karne ki race lagi hui hai#INDvSL

— KAJALaneNENU (@BanarasiBasanti) December 4, 2017

If indeed Delhi's air quality worsens today, as some forecasts are suggesting, it might affect play again. Remember this is not my-team-vs-your-team, this is about playing conditions

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 4, 2017

Mathews, Chandimal fight through wicketless session: After Sri Lanka's best session with the bat on this punishing tour of India, Angelo Mathews stood on the brink of ending a long and difficult wait

— InfoJoule (@UsmanSwift) December 4, 2017

What?… SL captain @chandi_17 has scored a 50* without a mask!

IM SHOOK. ?#IndvSL

— 18 (@ChaltanyaReddy) December 4, 2017

This is the kind of determined, controlled batting that Sri Lankan fans would have been waiting for. Not been easy for Mathews and Chandimal but have played like batting leaders should.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 4, 2017

This is an outstanding spell from Ashwin on a pitch that is giving him little. Is pulling the game India's way.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 4, 2017

note to sadeera – if you want to edge the ball against india, make sure it's thick enough to go the slip cordon #INDvSL

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) December 4, 2017

Chandimal scores a 100 and takes his mask off.
Sorry, takes his cap off #IndvsSL pic.twitter.com/ncn7krkRaF

— GoanPatiala (@TheGoanPatiala) December 4, 2017