India vs Sri Lanka 2017: 3rd Test, Day 2, 5 things we learnt from the day

On an eventful Day 2 of the third Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in New Delhi, the hosts continued their dominance with skipper Virat Kohli completing yet another double century to help India pile on 536 runs in the first innings.

In reply, Sri Lanka started off badly losing two wickets with just 14 runs on the board but the experienced duo of skipper Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews helped steady the ship for the visitors as they ended the day on 131-3.

The major talking point of the day was, however, the decision by the Sri Lankan players to come out wearing masks as the infamous pollution levels in the capital city forced play to be interrupted.

While the visibility level was no doubt a concern, the manner in which the Sri Lankan players made a meal out of the whole issue left a bad taste in the mouth as far as cricket lovers were concerned.

Here are the major talking points from the day's play.

#5 Sri Lanka badly need Angelo Mathews' to remain fit

The former Sri Lankan skipper is an imperative part of the side, especially in the Test format

The Sri Lankan side has been struggling to find able replacements for the likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, and Tillakaratne Dilshan for some time now.

The batting line-up is short of experience and the one player that the side badly needs to deliver is Angelo Mathews. He showed how vital he is to the side with his aggressive knock today and looks set to carry on after remaining unbeaten with a half-century at stumps on Day 2.

The former skipper's troubled history with injuries is a concern though and it is vital that the Sri Lankan team management utilize his services wisely without putting undue stress on the 30-year-old's body.

The workload needs to be managed across all three formats of the game as Mathews is undoubtedly one of the best all-rounders in the game.\

It is with the bat though that Mathews can contribute more for Sri Lanka as he is someone who is comfortable with both pace and spin.

#4 Rohit Sharma needs to convert starts into big hundreds

Rohit Sharma could and should have scored yet another hundred like he did in Nagpur

Ajinkya Rahane's poor run of form with the bat has helped Rohit Sharma enjoy an unquestioned run in the side but it is imperative that the 30-year-old starts converting his starts into big totals.

There's hardly anyone better than Virat Kohli to learn the art from, but unlike his skipper, Sharma has been struggling to convert those fifties to hundreds and beyond.

He did get a hundred in the Nagpur Test and the way he was batting on Day 1 on Saturday, it looked like Sharma would join Vijay and Kohli in scoring hundreds for India yet again but was dismissed by Sandakan with his score on 65.

It was not a great ball by the 26-year-old by any stretch of the imagination but Sharma managed to get a faint edge as the ball found its way to the wicketkeeper.

With a tough series against South Africa up next, it is vital that all batsmen chip in with big totals and Sharma is someone whom Kohli will be hoping to do that, especially batting along with the lower middle order for India.

#3 Lakshan Sandakan needs to be given more opportunities

Sandakan picked up the wickets of Kohli, Vijay, Sharma and Rahane in the first innings

It is no secret that Rangana Herath is running out of time as far as his international career is concerned and Sri Lanka has been trying out a number of spinners to assist and take on the mantle from the veteran cricketer.

Constant shuffling and chopping is not a good thing though but that's exactly what seems to have happened with the way the Sri Lankan team management has been handling Lakshan Sandakan.

The 26-year-old slow left-arm chinaman bowler picked up 5 wickets in the Test against India at Pallekelle but after going wicketless in the Abu Dhabi Test against Pakistan was overlooked for the ongoing Test series.

Only after Herath was ruled out for the New Delhi, was Sandakan flowed in for the Test and he made a good impact on Day 1 picking up the wickets of Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane, deceiving the Indian duo with the wrong one.

On Day 2, Sandakan managed two prized scalps - that of Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma - to undoubtedly emerge as the best Sri Lankan bowler in the first innings.

One would hope Sandakan gets an extended run in the side and with the number f variations in his kitty, Sandakan can surely become a wicket-taking option for Sri Lanka on a consistent basis in the future.

#2 There's no stopping Virat Kohli

The Indian skipper scored his sixth double century of his career on Day 2 at his home ground.

The Indian skipper is in the form of his life and has been for some time and the Sri Lankan side has been the main subject of Virat Kohli's dominance in recent months.

Centuries at the Galle and Kolkata started the rout while the double century at Nagpur was a knock of a man of supreme confidence.

On Day 1 of the New Delhi Test on Saturday, Kohli was at his most aggressive best though as he was intent on hurting the Sri Lankan bowlers with little time to waste.

He carried forward the momentum on Day 2 as runs continued to flow freely from Kohli's bat, ultimately bringing up his sixth double century - all of which has come as skipper of the side.

Virat Kohli is breaking boundaries every time he comes out to bat and the only person that can stop the Indian skipper at the moment is himself.

Ironically, that is what is going to happen as Sri Lanka will heave a sigh of huge relief as Kohli has opted out of the ODI and T20 series against the visitors in order to refresh for the upcoming away tour to South Africa.

#1 Sportsmanship goes for a toss

Sri Lankan cricketers wearing mask after lunch on day two at Delhi

The Sri Lankan cricket team has never been known for their sportsmanship - in fact, they have a poor record when it comes to matches against India.

In 2009, Sachin Tendulkar was left stranded on 96 in an ODI at Cuttack as Lasith Malinga bowled four wides down the leg side while Virender Sehwag had a similar experience in 2010 after Suraj Randiv bowled a deliberate no-ball to leave the Indian batsman one short of the three-figure mark.

The ongoing 3-match Test series has also seen its fair share of ugly shades as Niroshan Dickwella admitted that his time-wasting antics in the first Test at the Eden Gardens were an intentional attempt to help his side avoid defeat and it proved effective as play was called off due to bad light with just three Sri Lankan wickets remaining.

The second Test at Nagpur was the subject of the DRS controversy with Dilruwan Perera seeming to get an indication from the Sri Lankan dressing room before opting for a referral which ultimately proved to be a success as the original LBW decision was overturned.

On Day Two of the third Test on Sunday, the Sri Lankan players stooped to an all-time low with their sportsman spirit as they made deliberate attempts to stop play citing poor air quality.

The decision by the Sri Lankan players to come out wearing masks after lunch left a poor taste in the mouth as far as cricket lovers were concerned.

It is true that pollution was an issue but not so bad that players had to go off the field. The Sri Lankan team were however intent on making the umpires bow down to their plea, complaining to them on a constant basis.

Ultimately, Indian skipper Virat Kohli decided enough was enough and declared the first innings with a score of 536 as Sri Lanka complained that it didn't have enough players to take the field.

Never one to hide his emotions, it was evident how livid Kohli was with the antics of the Sri Lankan players and so were the commentators who were clearly disgusted with all that unfolded.