The viral exchange between Indian cricket team wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and substitute fielder Sarfaraz Khan, captured on the stump mic on Day 3 of the first Test match against Sri Lanka on Monday, had everyone in splits. At lunch, Manav Suthar’s spinners reduced Sri Lanka to 99/5, putting India in a fantastic position. Nevertheless, Pant and Sarfaraz had a humorous conversation because Ravindra Jadeja had not yet joined the assault. Sarfaraz was heard advising Jadeja to be patient while the Indian bowlers divided the wickets.

“Lamba game hai Jaddu bhai. Mil baat ke khaayenge [It is a long game, we will share the spoils],” Sarfaraz said.

Sarfaraz Khan: Wait karo Jadeja bhai, sabhi milkar (Sri Lankan batters ko )share karke khayenge! (Wait, Jadeja bhai,we’ll all share the Sri Lankan batters and eat them together!)

Pant got in right away, bringing up Jadeja’s well-known sword-wielding festival. He made the humorous suggestion that everyone join in the sword-swinging celebration.

“Aur sab talvaar chalayenge!” Rishabh Pant said.

On Day Three of the first Test, India knocked Sri Lanka out for 284 and secured a commanding 178-run first-innings advantage thanks to seven wickets between Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja. Suthar had high expectations going into the tour, and he lived up to them by hitting with his first ball and finished with 4-76 in a span where he hit the perfect lengths and got spin and bounce. Jadeja, his seasoned spin partner, contributed 3-57 and even reached the 350 Test-wicket milestone.

After reducing the hosts to 90/5, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna each claimed a wicket to complete an incredibly clinical collective bowling effort for India, who momentarily entertained dreams of enforcing the follow-on.

However, Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella made a determined recovery through a 146-run sixth-wicket partnership as the ball softened and lost its bite. In order to prevent India from exerting pressure on them, the pair displayed remarkable poise and effectively absorbed pressure, including sweeping and reverse-sweeping.