Teams generally prefer to bat again in the third innings when they have the option to enforce the follow-on so that they can bat the opposition out of the game and let the pitch deteriorate further so that the opposition has to bat in the worst conditions possible.
On evidence of day three, the pitch remained pretty good to bat on. India benefitted from a few wickets against the run of play and without any build-up. Still, they had to make do with just six wickets in 80.4 overs. They could use the same evidence to say they need as much time as possible to bowl Sri Lanka out a second time around.
“I think they’ll keep on monitoring him now overnight, and hopefully, he’ll be behind the stumps for us tomorrow. I think it’s important to have him there. His reading of the game is exceptional.”
Morne Morkel hopes Rishabh Pant keeps wicket on day four
“It is hard work out there, you know,” Morkel said. “I think sometimes even us, we get sucked in that expectation where we think it looks slightly dry and we need to bowl teams out for under 200. But unfortunately, at times it’s not gonna work like that. It’s tough conditions; it’s hot, hot conditions. The ball goes soft quite quickly.
“As the boys walked in there tonight, I said to them it is a proper day of Test cricket, and this is how we’re gonna learn. This is how we’re gonna grow. We always talk about bowling in partnerships, about creating pressure, and this is how you develop it – on days like today, when there’s a batting partnership going [on]. You can break it. The key is to define that breakthrough, and then how well can you start your next thing.”
“Rishabh obviously got hit on the shoulder. I think that it was discussed last night,” Morkel said. “It is quite badly bruised. I think he was just a little bit restricted in his movement this morning when he tried to warm up. I think they’ll keep on monitoring him now overnight, and hopefully, he’ll be behind the stumps for us tomorrow. I think it’s important to have him there. His reading of the game is exceptional.”
