Picture Credit: X

Picture Credit: X

Indian batter Sarfaraz Khan used sledging to distract the Sri Lankan batters and change the course of the game. In the second Test against Dhananjay de Silva-led side, Khan took the field on Day 3 as a substitute of injured wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant. While the guests had already established their dominance on their counterparts with a mammoth 503-run total with the loss of nine wickets, followed by dismantling the batting lineup. However, Khan used another technique to get the better of the rivals, and surprisingly was successful in it.

The right-handed batter constantly sledged the Sri Lankan batters, distracting them, which ultimately resulted in the dismissal of skipper Dhananjay de Silva and Niroshan Dickwella. The first victim of Khan’s ploy was Dhananjay and no later than him, Dickwella followed the suit on Tuesday. The first incident took place when Manav Suthar was about to bowl a delivery, and there happened to have some movement behind the bowler’s arm, and hence, de Silva decided to stop Suthar.

Khan, who was positioned at short leg, decided to sledge and managed to got under the skin of the home skipper. He was heard saying, "Bro, nothing is there, bro. You look straight na - why you looking left and right side (pointing to long-on and long-off)? You are just wasting time, bro. Don't be scared. Play. You are the captain. You are waiting for this." A few balls later the ploy seemed to work as Dhananjay lost his wicket to Suthar on the fifth delivery of the 35th over.

Sarfaraz Khan’s Sledging Helps India Get Rid of Niroshan Dickwella

Soon after the Indian side got rid of the Sri Lankan captain, Niroshan Dickwella came to the crease. Mohammed Siraj went for the short-ball tactic, considering it had worked in the second innings of the first Test. Khan, who got his India call up following Sai Suharsan’s injury, had a thing or two to say to Dickwella. However, the home player took the sledging in positive spirit, the Indian had the final laugh considering Dickwella lost his wicket off a Mohammed Siraj delivery, after being caught out by Dhruv Jurel.

While the home skipper walked back off eight runs, the Lankan wicketkeeper could not post any single run on the scoreboard. He was sent back off a three-ball duck. Notably, apart from Sonal Dinusha (batting at 85* at the time of writing), no other Sri Lankan player could manage to make a mark with the bat. By 83.4 overs, the hosts had lost eight wickets and were at 265.