Galle [Sri Lanka], August 16 (ANI): Sri Lanka’s debutant pacer Keshara Nuwantha and Prabath Jayasuriya engineered a spirited fightback for the hosts in the second session on Day 2 of the opening Test, striking thrice to peg India back to 364/5 in 94 overs at Tea after the entire opening session was washed out due to rain.
Dhruv Jurel (19*) and Ravindra Jadeja (4*) were the batters on the crease for India after Sri Lanka got rid of centurion Devdutt Padikkal (167), KL Rahul (82) and Rishabh Pant (39).
With the opening session being washed out, India resumed batting from their overnight score of 288/2 with Pant and Padikkal at the crease.
Pant was the first wicket to fall, dismissed for 39 by Nuwantha. In the 81st over, Pant charged down the track looking to attack, but the ball took the bottom of his bat, and he failed to time the shot. The ball went towards mid-off, where Sonal Dinusha ran to his right and completed a sliding catch.
After Pant’s dismissal, KL Rahul returned to the crease after retiring hurt on Day 1, resuming his innings on 77. However, he could add only five more runs before Keshara Nuwantha dismissed him for 82 in the 85th over.
Dhruv Jurel joined Devdutt Padikkal at the crease and added 38 runs with him before Padikkal was dismissed for a magnificent 167 by Prabath Jayasuriya in the 92nd over.
India added 76 runs to their overnight total while losing three wickets, heading into the final session on Day 2 at 364/5 after 94 overs.
India ended Day 1 strongly at 288/2 after rain interrupted play several times. After Yashasvi Jaiswal was run out for 32 in the first session, Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul steadied the innings with a 150-run partnership.
Padikkal went on to score a brilliant century in 134 balls, becoming the first Indian No. 3 to hit a Test hundred since Shubman Gill in September 2024. He remained unbeaten on 133, while Rahul retired hurt on 77 due to cramps.
After Gill replaced Rahul, he scored 16 before being dismissed by Prabath Jayasuriya. Rishabh Pant then joined Padikkal and helped India accelerate against the spinners. At stumps, India were 288/2, with Padikkal unbeaten on 133 and Pant on 12. (ANI)
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