Tempers run high on eventful day

A series that has been low on banter and played on a very friendly note suddenly sprang to life on Monday, thanks to the intense exchanges between Ishant Sharma and Dhammika Prasad.

Prasad, normally a friendly character on and off the field, gave Ishant a mighty stare after the second ball of the 76th over, delivery that the Indian pacer evaded easily. Shortening his run-up, Prasad delivered another short ball — no-balled for overstepping — which too Ishant neatly let go past him before sporting a smirk.

Not too impressed, Prasad gave Ishant another mighty stare and then bowled a back of a length ball which the Delhiite steered away for a single and responded in kind. While completing the run, Ishant kept banging his helmet with his gloves, seemingly goading Prasad — going back to take his run-up — to hit him there.

Not to be left out of the action, Dinesh Chandimal then appeared to brush Ishant while crossing over which saw R Ashwin too getting involved in the fracas. Soon some of the Sri Lankan players converged at the centre that forced the intervention of umpires Nigel Llong and Rod Tucker.

The umpires then had a word with Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews as well as Ashwin and Ishant as tempers cooled down before a bizarre incident occurred in the final ball. The moment Ashwin was dismissed, Ishant started to scurry to the dressing room when Prasad quickly collected his cap and shades from the umpire and started to chase Ishant.

However, that seemed like an act to the galleries by Prasad as no incident was reported by the two. “All these things keep happening. They are very good friends off the field. I just saw them having a cup of tea after the game which is good,” said Rohit Sharma.

While Ishant was relaxed by the end of the day, he was in the mood when bowling to the Sri Lankans. Brilliant with the ball in his hand, he gave Upal Tharanga a fiery send-off after dismissing him off the last ball of the first over.

He almost kept screaming in delight at the batsman’s ears, seemingly relentless, before being huddled by his ecstatic team-mates.

He then celebrated Dinesh Chandimal’s dismissal in the seventh over by banging his head repeatedly, presenting the picture of an adrenaline high rock guitarist. 

Ishant is walking a tight rope after being fined 65 per cent of his match fee following his indiscretion in the second Test and would want to put up his best behaviour on Tuesday.