India ended the second day on 460/9 after rain restricted play to just two overs in the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Sunday.
IMAGE: Devdutt Padikkal celebrates after completing his 150th on the second day. Photo: Bank of Credit and Commerce
Key points
- Devdutt Padikkal’s tally of 167 anchored India’s strong total of 460/9 on the second day.
- The Sri Lankan spinners improved significantly but still conceded a huge lead after India lost seven wickets.
- Rishabh Pant (39) and KL Rahul (81) fell after failing to convert their starts.
- Dhruv Gurriel scored 51 runs, ending a string of low scores and adding valuable runs in the lower middle order.
- Manav Suthar (24) and Mohammed Siraj (11) helped India consolidate their position after a late wicket.
Padikkal shines as Sri Lanka spinners fight back
Devdutt Padikkal’s cutting-edge 167 was the cornerstone of India’s powerful 460 for nine at stumps despite the Sri Lankan spinners growing fangs on the clipped second day of the first Test in Galle on Sunday.
Kuldeep Yadav (12) and Prasidh Krishna (1) were batting close.
Pant and Rahul leave after a promising start
IMAGE: Keshara Nwantha celebrates after taking the wicket of Rishabh Pant. Image: Sri Lanka Cricket/X
Rain of varying intensity and the resulting wet pitch delayed the start of the day’s play until 2.35pm, and the long break seemed to have rejuvenated Lanka even more.
The bowlers produced better lines and lengths from day one, shrinking the scoring areas for the Indian batsmen, who resumed from a much stronger 288 for two.
It was the perfect starting point to get into a healthier position, but the tourists lost seven wickets – some to the guile of the Sri Lankan spinners and some to their own indiscretions – for 172 runs.
IMAGE: Rishabh Pant plays a shot. Photo: Bank of Credit and Commerce
Padikkal, who started on 131, brought up his maiden 150 in 215 balls when he pulled fielder Asitha Fernando for a boundary.
However, before the left-hander reached his milestone, India lost another overnight batsman Rishabh Pant for 39.
Pant looked impatient to impose his authority on the bowlers, but overzealousness finished his job, as the weak top spin off Keshara Nuwantha was hampered by the run of Sonal Dinusha.
KL Rahul, who had to retire on 77 due to cramps the day before, came in next but could only add four more runs to his score overnight.
Rahul failed to get the turn and bounce off Nowantha, giving Nishan Madhushka a simple catch at short leg.
Capturing two huge wickets by giving away just 12 runs put a spring in the steps of the Sri Lankan bowlers and the hosts added the big wicket of Padikkal at tea knock to further strengthen their position.
The left-hander was deceived in flight by left-arm spinner Prapath Jayarsuriya and off-spinner Niroshan Dickwella did the rest. However, bigwigs will be pleased to see how Padikkal has responded to the task of occupying a crucial position as No.3.
It has given them another option even as resident Sai Sudharsen returns from a toe injury.
Gurriel finishes the lean race with a timely fifty
Image: Dhruv Gurel celebrates after turning 50 years old. Photo: Bank of Credit and Commerce
India went to tea at 364 for five, needing a few extra runs to pull away from Sri Lanka.
Ravindra Jadeja was caught leg by Nwantha immediately after the break, leaving India at 377 for six.
But Gurriel, who has been struggling for runs of late, rose to the occasion to play a brilliant innings.
There was a huge slice of luck as Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva turfed a healthy Gurriel edge off Jayasuriya at first slip.
The right-hander was ranked 29th at the time, and neared past 50 for the first time in eight innings.
It was a fluent innings too, as she lofted Nuwantha for a six over mid-wicket and then pulled an expensive Lahiru Kumara for a boundary.
However, Gurriel, who added 55 runs for the seventh wicket with Manav Suthar (24), did not stay back to turn the fifty into something bigger.
The lower system in India adds critical paths
IMAGE: Rain delay begins on day two of the first Test in Galle on Sunday. Photo: Bank of Credit and Commerce
De Silva got a flying catch at slip from Jayasuriya to atone for his earlier mistake.
But by then, India, despite losing wickets, had reached solid ground with Mohammed Siraj and Suthar delivering some powerful blows.
From the Sri Lankan point of view, the LRC would have been very disappointed by two players – Kumara and Fernando – who were not very effective in taking wickets and did not contain runs when they were needed.
Suthar’s knock will also please the team management as skipper Shubman Gill emphasized the need for the late batsmen to chime in with some runs in the absence of injured players like Washington Sundar.
