Team India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja continued his habit of dismissing well-set batters by removing Sri Lanka’s top-scorer, Sonal Dinusha, on Day 3 of the opening Test at Galle on August 17. With Sri Lanka in dire straits at 90/5 in response to India’s 462 in the first innings, Dinusha scored a brilliant maiden Test century to help the side gain a semblance of respectability.
However, a ball after completing his century, the southpaw missed a flighted delivery from Jadeja, which turned sharply to trap him in front. Dinusha looked towards DRS to save him from a seemingly plumb LBW, but to no avail.
Here is a video of Jadeja’s three wickets, including the final one to send Sri Lanka’s lone centurion packing:
Jadeja finished the innings with excellent figures of 3/57 in 21 overs as India bowled Sri Lanka out for 284. Despite stumps being called earlier than the scheduled time on Day 3 due to bad light and rain, India head into the penultimate day with a healthy 178-run first-innings lead.
Ravindra Jadeja joins elite club for career double on Day 3 of the 1st Test
Ravindra Jadeja completed an incredible 350 Test wickets on Day 3 of the first Test against Sri Lanka. The 37-year-old entered the game on 348 wickets and removed Sri Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Keshara Nuwantha to complete the career milestone.
Jadeja also became one of only two Indian cricketers to boast over 4,000 runs and 350 wickets in Tests, alongside the legendary Kapil Dev. He also became only the second spin-bowling all-rounder after Daniel Vettori to achieve the phenomenal 4,000-350 double.
Overall, Ravindra Jadeja is only the fourth cricketer to complete this double, joining Kapil Dev, Daniel Vettori and Ian Botham.
The veteran spin-bowling all-rounder’s Test numbers read an extraordinary 4,108 runs at an average of 38.03 and 351 wickets at an average of 25.06. Jadeja also boasts six centuries and 15 five-wicket hauls in his outstanding 90-match Test career.
Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran
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