Sri Lanka vs India 2017: 1st Test Day 3, 5 talking points

India decided against enforcing the follow-on and built on a 309 run lead after their bowlers had wound up the Lankan innings for 291. The lead swelled to 498 by the close of play on Day 3, which had started in good fashion for the hosts as Angelo Mathews and Dilruwan Perera strung together a 62 run stand. The useful partnership was brought to an end by Mathews' reckless shot on 83.

Perera stepped on the gas and played some outrageous strokes, with his handling of India's spin duo praiseworthy. He was, however, stranded on 92 as Lanka were bowled out. The all-rounder returned to get rid of Shikhar Dhawan early in India's second innings and Pujara clipped Kumara straight to short gully to leave India at 56/2.

Kohli and Mukund, however, piled on the lead, before the latter was dismissed off the final over of the day.

Brief Scores: India 600 & 189/3 (Mukund 81, Kohli 76*) Sri Lanka 291 (Perera 92*, Mathews 83, Jadeja 3/67)

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

#5 Angelo Mathews resists, then throws it away

Mathews played some cheeky shots en route to his 83

Even as Upul Tharanga hogged all the limelight on Day 1, former Lankan skipper, Angelo Mathews, had silently nudged his way to a half-century. He began on a positive note on day 2 with Dilruwan Perera complementing him with some attacking shots. Kohli turned to Ashwin and Jadeja to stem the flow of runs.

The spinners strangled the Lankan batsmen as boundaries froze. In the 59th over, Jadeja beat Perera's bat before inducing an edge which got the Lankans a single. An under pressure Mathews stepped to the leg-side and tried to loft Jadeja inside out only to gift an easy catch to Kohli at cover. The Lankan had thrown it away. All he needed to do at 83 was get through the Jadeja-Ashwin spell with patience.

#4 Perera entertains with ravishing half-century

Perera compiled his fifth Test half-century and looked good for a hundred before he ran out of partners

With Asela Gunaratne ruled out, the onus was on Dilruwan Perera to step up and play an all-rounder's innings. He had been promoted to no.7 previously in his Test career but this time around the opposition were strong, confident and on the prowl. Contrary to expectations, it was Perera who got things rolling for the hosts, much akin to his debut knock of 95 against Pakistan when he put on a 112 run stand with Mathews.

A cut through point off Yadav started things off for Perera. He was circumspect against the spinners with Mathews at the other end but once the former skipper played a horrendous shot to get out, Perera went on the rampage. In the over following Mathews' wicket, Perera lofted Ashwin for a six before creaming him through the covers with a delicate drive. He then survived a bizarre ball tracking review call and then smacked Ashwin for another four and six.

When Umesh Yadav returned, he was treated with absolute disdain as Perera seemed intent on teaching his top order colleagues a lesson or two. Jadeja was slog swept through cow corner for another pair of boundaries (four and six) as he raced to his 80s. However, he was stranded on 92 as Lanka were bowled out for 291.

#3 India lose two quick wickets after opting to bat again

Shikhar Dhawan played a poor cut shot early in India's second innings

With a 309 run lead, India could have put Sri Lanka in to bat again and won by an innings but the Herath-threat on a fourth or fifth-day wicket prompted Kohli to take the safe route, sending his men to bat for a second time. Shikhar Dhawan, the centurion from the first innings, started on a solid note with a couple of well-placed boundaries.

But Dilruwan Perera struck gold as Dhawan played a loose cut shot that ballooned up for the backward point fielder to take an easy catch. Given the lead India had in the game, 'see ball, hit ball' could have been the mantra. Even Pujara seemed to have adopted that approach as he flicked Kumara straight to fine-leg shortly before rain intervened.

#2 Rain halts India's progress

Rain threatened to halt India's juggernaut at Galle

The rain gods decided to save Sri Lanka as India's progress was halted by intermittent showers. The weather altered between bright and overcast as Virat Kohli and co. looked on, a tad worried. India had opted to bat again despite having the option of enforcing the follow-on, fearing batting on a final day wicket against Herath and Perera.

If rain persists for the next two days, Lanka might just get away with a draw.

#1 Kohli and Mukund build solid lead

Abhinav Mukund redeemed himself with a well-composed half-century

Virat Kohli joined hands with Abhinav Mukund for the first time in a Test, despite the duo debuting together way back in 2011, to compile an urgent looking partnership. Mukund looked much more solid in his second outing while Kohli notched up his first half-century in eight Test innings.

The duo started off in speedy fashion with Kohli driving Kumara through the covers off the first ball he faced and Mukund following suit in Kumara's next over. Both were tested with short balls but Kohli was keen to negotiate that tactic today and a couple of cracking shots off Pradeep proved he was in his groove. Mukund, meanwhile, revived his Test career with a career best score of 81, possibly taking confidence from his stunning fielding display at silly point yesterday. He would, however, rue his dismissal in the last over of the day's play.