"Sri Lanka would be regretting that they didn't play an extra spinner" - Dinesh Karthik after end of Day 1 of IND vs SL Test
Indian batter and cricket expert Dinesh Karthik feels Sri Lanka misread the Mohali pitch by playing just one specialist spinner in Lasith Embuldeniya. The visitors do have a couple of all-rounders that can bowl some part-time off-spin, but Karthik believes there was a need for an extra spinner.
Embuldeniya was impressive as he found some turn early and got two big wickets in the form of Mayank Agarwal and Virat Kohli. However, Sri Lanka needed another impactful spinner who could have helped them get better control of the game.
That's Stumps on Day 1 of the 1st Test.
#TeamIndia 357/6 after 85 overs. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja together added 104 runs on the board.
Pant 96
Jadeja 45*
Scorecard - bit.ly/INDvSL-1STTEST #INDvSL @Paytm https://t.co/pXSRnSXBsh
Explaining to Cricbuzz how Sri Lanka misread the conditions on offer, Dinesh Karthik said:
"I have a feeling Sri Lanka would be regretting the fact that they didn't play an extra spinner. Otherwise, they wouldn't have bowled 15 overs of spin so early on. They realized this was a different wicket."
WATCH - 6,6,4,4 - The Pant blitz in one over 💥💥
Sample that for a batting assault in one over. This is @RishabhPant17 at his very best.
📽️📽️bcci.tv/videos/5556558… #INDvSL
India have played one spinner too many: Dinesh Karthik
Speaking about India's bowling options, Dinesh Karthik remarked that the hosts have played one spinner too many. India have gone in with their reliable duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and have also added off-spinner Jayant Yadav to their ranks.
Karthik feels that the pitch won't deteriorate to a greater extent and reckons that two spinners will be enough to do the job.
In this regard, he said:
"The wicket was clearly prepared by an eventful mind. They knew our spinners as the game goes on will come in much more. I feel Sri Lanka definitely missed a spinner. I feel India played one too many but I think its ok to err on that side than go with one less."
India are in a commanding position after the end of Day 1 as they have racked up 357 runs for the loss of six wickets. With Ashwin and Jadeja still at the crease, the hosts will be confident of posting a huge first innings total.