Day 2, Stumps!
17:19 IST Jadeja continues, Mathews takes a single off the first ball. Once again, attacking field for Dilruwan. Jadeja darts it in, defensive block, a dot ball. He plays it on the back foot, picks up three runs off that ball as it goes in the deep. Mathews defends the ball, merely uses a dead bat to stop that. Another defensive shot from him. Another dot ball to end the over. SL 154/5 in 44 overs.
17:16 IST Shami is back into the attack, Dilruwan on strike, he defends the first ball. Well timed by Dilruwan, takes a couple of runs. He lets the next one go to the wicketkeeper. Few overs left in Day 2, Sri Lanka will be looking to go back into the pavilion with only five wickets lost. Two runs off the over. SL 150/5 in 43 overs.
17:10 IST Four fielders in catching position now for Dilruwan. He is trying to put pressure on the newbie. He manages to take a single towards third man on the third delivery. Two slips in position for Mathews, leg slip and first slip. The attacking field seems to trouble him, three dot balls. SL 148/5 in 42 overs.
17:07 IST Jadeja continues, Mathews on strike, a dot ball, he is running out of partners now. FOUR! Mathews hits the ball square of the wicket, gets a boundary. He plays the next one towards covers, a dot ball. Good fielding by skipper, makes a dive to stop the ball, another dot ball. A defensive block to end the over. SL 147/5 in 41 overs.
17:04 IST Ashwin continues, Dilruwan Perera comes to bat. He is being cautious early on in the innings, not looking to give much to Ashwin. A wicket maiden for Ashwin. SL 143/5 in 40 overs.
17:01 IST WICKET! Dickwella c Mukund b Ashwin 8(15)
17:01 IST Dickwella on strike, Ashwin continues, a dot ball to start with. Next ball, outside edge off the bat, taken! What a catch by Mukund, this is turning out to be a great session for India, get another wicket. SL 143/5 in 39.2 overs.
16:59 IST Jadeja continues, tight bowling from him. Dickwella manages to get a single on the fourth ball with a well-timed sweep. Mathews on 49, he plays the ball towards covers, a dot ball. Last ball of the over, blocks it. SL 143/4 in 39 overs.
16:57 IST Ashwin to Mathews, still creating problems with the angle and the loop created. A huge appeal for runout at the non-striker end post a direct hit. Not out as the third Umpire sees the bat getting into the crease safely. FOUR! Mathews comes down the wicket and lofts the ball over deep midwicket for a boundary.FOUR! Mathews is in IPL mode with the tune playing in the background, hits a reverse sweep and gets a boundary. SL 142/4 in 38 overs.
16:53 IST Jadeja continues, Dickwella defends the first ball. He tries to sweep the next but fails, another dot ball. Dickwella presents a straight bat on the next ball. Jadeja is bowling well, he made him play down the leg to the fielder, four dot balls in a row. Make it five, he comes forward and plays it towards covers. last ball of the over, FOUR! He sweeps the ball behind square leg and gets a boundary. SL 134/4 in 37 overs.
16:50 IST Ashwin continues, Dickwella takes a single off the first ball. Mathews is looking to defend as the hosts have already lost the wicket and follow on threat looms over them. He takes a single off the fifth ball of the over. Dickwella works the ball towards fine leg, takes a single. SL 130/4 in 36 overs
16:48 IST Jadeja continues, Mathews gets a single off the second ball off the over. Dickwella comes down the track and takes a single as well. Four dot balls to end the over. SL 127/4 in 35 overs
16:44 IST Niroshan Dickwella comes to bat, he is off strike, two dot balls to end the over. SL 125/4 in 34 overs.
16:41 IST WICKET! Tharanga run out (Mukund/Saha) 64(93)
16:41 IST Ashwin continues, Tharanga on strike, a couple of runs off the first ball as it goes towards the fine leg. Two dot balls to follow. He takes a single off the next towards cover-point. Mathews on strike, he sweeps and gets a single. He comes down the track, misses the ball, good work by forward point fielder. Saha removes the bails and he has referred it. He was well in the crease but the bat has bouncer, will that be the breakthrough? Yes, it will be! WICKET! SL 125/4 in 33.4 overs.
16:38 IST Jadeja to Mathews, still putting the pressure and trying to create chances with an odd appeal every over. Just a boundary off the over. SL 121/3 in 33 overs
16:35 IST Ashwin continues, Tharanga is struggling to get the ball outside the 30-yard circle. Third ball, the attacking fielder creates an pportunity but could not hit the stumps who got back into the crease in time. A maiden over for Ashwin. SL 117/3 in 32 overs.
16:32 IST Mathews on strike, Jadeja continues, he gets a single off the second ball. Tharanga is coming over the wicket to Tharanga, the fourth ball of the over hits his pads and the Umpire says no. An inside edge off the next ball, Jadeja is working his magic again on a subcontinent pitch. A dot ball to end the over. SL 117/3 in 31 overs.
16:30 IST The Sri Lankan batsmen are struggling now against the spinners. Just a single off the over. They are using turn to the best effect. SL 115/3 in 30 overs.
16:28 IST Jadeja continues, a maiden over for him, Tharanga has gone into defensive mode now. SL 114/3 in 29 overs
16:24 IST Ashwin continues, Tharanga takes a single after facing two dot balls. Mathews on strike, the ball hits him on the pads and all the fielders go up in unison. The Umpire says no, Kohli review it immediately. It seems out to me. Umpire’s call comes into play, this is frustrating. This should have been given out. Mathews sweeps but to forward short leg, a dot ball. Another dot ball to end the over. SL 114/3 in 28 overs.
16:20 IST Ravindra Jadeja has been introduced into the attack, Mathews on strike, he darts the ball into him. An inside edge saves Mathews. Attacking field for him. Mathews drives and gets a single towards covers. Tharanga defends the ball on the front foot, he has not been attacking for a while. Whoa! that one spun a lot, hits the pads and beats Saha, a dot ball. SL 112/3 in 27 overs.
DRINKS BREAK!
16:15 IST Ashwin continues, Tharanga picks up a couple of runs off the second ball. His scoring rate has decreased in the previous few overs. Ashwin has kept him busy and guessing. SL 111/3 in 26 overs.
16:12 IST Yadav continues, bowls a fuller delivery, Mathews plays it towards mid on, a dot ball. The next ball he tries to flick it towards midwicket, fielded inside the circle, a dot ball. He defends the next one back to the bowler. He gets into the line of the ball, defends again with his head still. FOUR! This time he hits it on the up, just pushes the ball, not trying to overhit it, a boundary for him. SIX! Short ball and Mathews pounces it, gets a maximum, no mercy from him. SL 109/3 in 25 overs.
16:07 IST Ashwin continues, he is trying variations now on Tharanga, beating him on the third ball. He takes a single off the next, Ashwin is not happy with himself. Leg slip and a forward short leg in place for Mathews, he defends it on the onside. Mathews goes for a big shot but mistimes, a single for him on that one. A dot ball to end the over. SL 99/3 in 24 overs.
16:03 IST Umesh Yadav is back into the attack, Tharanga takes a single off the first ball. Mathews pushes it on the back foot, a dot ball. FOUR! Mathews rests easy on the back foot and plays it with sheer timing, gets a boundary. Mathews is hitting the ball well, playing close to the crease, a dot ball. He plays the next one on the onside, picks up a couple of runs. A dot ball to finish off the over. SL 97/3 in 23 overs.
15:59 IST Ashwin continues, Mathews on strike, he defends the first two balls. A huge lbw appeal off the third ball, the Umpire denies it. FOUR! That was a mere push off the back foot, Umesh Yadav misfields and the ball goes through, a boundary for Mathews. Next ball, that one beats him, gets a couple of runs off that one towards fine leg. SL 90/3 in 22 overs.
15:56 IST Shami continues, Mathews plays it back to the bowler, a dot ball. A bouncer to follow, Mathews reacts late to play that one, no runs scored off that one. FOUR! This time Mathews gets it right, pulls the ball for a boundary in front of the wicket. He defends the next ball back to the mid on fielder. A quick single to follow. Tharanga plays it back to the bowler. SL 84/3 in 21 overs.
15:52 IST Ashwin comes round the wicket to Mathews, a dot ball to start with. He takes a single off the next towards backward point. Tharanga comes down the track but the ball hits his pads, an lbw shout from him but the Umpire says no. He defends the next ball and pushes the one after that to the offside. Another dot ball to finish off the over. SL 79/3 in 20 overs.
15:49 IST Shami continues, Mathews slashes his blade hard, good fielding at cover-point, saves a boundary. He pushes the next ball towards covers, another dot ball. Brilliant fielding from Jadeja. He defends the next ball with a straight bat. Shami is getting support from his fielders to put pressure on Mathews. He takes a single off the next one. Tharanga ducks the short ball, no run. Tharanga pulls but could not time it, a couple of runs there. SL 78/3 in 19 overs.
15:44 IST Ashwin continues, a single off the second ball of the over. Mathews is defensive, he is defending the ball on the front foot, playing it towards off side or trying to push it down the wicket. He takes a single off the last ball of the over, retains strike. SL 74/3 in 18 overs.
15:41 IST Angelo Mathew comes to bat, Shami is in full flow, he is hitting the deck hard and trying to make the batsman the line he wants. Mathews is trying to take his time, he knows the importance of his wicket. He is mostly playing the ball on the back foot. A maiden over for Shami. SL 72/3 in 17 overs.
15:37 IST Ashwin continues, Tharanga on strike, two dot balls. FOUR! Tharanga drives the ball through covers, exquisite timing, a boundary for him. 50 for Tharanga! Just 44 balls to reach the half century. SL 72/3 in 16 overs.
15:32 IST WICKET! Kusal Mendis c Dhawan b Shami 0(4)
15:32 IST Kusal Mendis comes to bat, one must say that Kohli changed his approach soon after an edge went between the wicketkeeper and the slip. Attacking field setting for Mendis. Edged and one more down. This is excellent bowling from Shami. SL 68/3 in 15 overs.
15:27 IST WICKET! Gunathalika c Dhawan b Shami 16(37) Shami strikes as soon as she is brought back into the attack. Gets an edge trying to slice the ball towards the offside, first wicket for the day to Shami. IND 68/2 in 14.2 overs.
15:25 IST Ashwin is not giving Tharanga enough room to work with, four dot balls angling into the left-hander. FOUR! This time he gives him a widish delivery, played down the third man for a boundary. Tharanga moves to 48 from 39 balls. A dot ball to end the over. SL 68/1 in 14 overs.
15:23 IST Umesh Yadav continues, Tharanga edges it, the ball goes between the wicketkeeper and the second slip. That’s poor captaincy, not giving the bowlers an attacking field early on in the innings. Kohli ensures there is a slip now, learns from his mistake. FOUR! This time it comes from the middle of the bat, can’t blame anyone there. He takes a single off the next. Dot balls to follow. SL 64/1 in 13 overs.
15:18 IST Ashwin to Gunathalika, if Sri Lankans bat like this, then the first match might be heading towards a draw. But, we should not get ahead of ourselves, the ball is still not old and the cracks have not showed up on the surface. Just a couple of runs off the over. SL 55/1 in 12 overs.
15:15 IST Gunathalika on strike, Umesh continues, the first ball almost got him, a single off the first ball as he gets his bat down in time. Tharanga defends the first ball. He flicks the next ball towards deep midwicket, gets a couple of runs. Next ball, a slight mix-up between the batsmen but safe in the end. A short ball to follow, he ducks that one away. He flicks the next ball towards fine leg, Pandya does well to cut that off, a couple of runs taken. SL 53/1 in 11 overs.
15:11 IST Ashwin to Gunathalika, no surprises yet, the ball has not spun square. A single off the second ball. FOUR! Tharanga goes into the crease and guides the ball for a boundary. Two dot balls to end the over. SL 48/1 in 10 overs.
15:08 IST Umesh Yadav continues, a single off the first ball for Tharanga. Gunathalika defends the ball on the front foot. He flicks the next ball off the pads, gets a single. A short ball to follow, Tharanga ducks it. Two more dot balls to follow. SL 43/1 in 9 overs.
15:03 IST Tharanga on strike, Ashwin has been introduced into the attack, a dot ball as he tries to guide it square of the wicket. He is mixing it up with arm balls. A single off the fourth ball, it took an inside edge off the bat. Gunathalika bowls another one drifting in, a dot ball. SL 41/1 in 8 overs.
14:59 IST The players are back on the field for the last session of Day 2. Will they be able to enforce a few wickets? Stay tuned for more updates.
Despite the early breakthrough provided by Umesh Yadav and a review wasted, the approach from the Sri Lankan top order has looked promising. They have looked to attack and not defend. Indian bowlers will be looking to make use of the new ball otherwise a partnership can change the course of the game.
Day 2, Tea: Sri Lanka 38/1 (7 ovs) trail by 562 runs. Tharanga 24*, Gunathilaka 12* #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/6OjwoEMkhE
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) July 27, 2017
TEA BREAK!
14:40 IST Gunathalika on strike, Shami continues, he hops on the back foot and pushes the ball for a single. Round the wicket to Tharanga, hits his body, a dot ball. FOUR! That one hovers over the third man for a boundary, Sri Lankan batsmen have given a fitting reply to India. He works the next ball towards square, takes a single. Tharanga has scored 24 from 14 balls already. Next ball, Shami fields it on the follow through. Last ball before the tea break. A dot ball to end the session. SL 38/1 in 7 overs.
14:35 IST Tharanga on strike, Umesh continues, a dot ball as he pushes the ball inside the circle. A short ball from Umesh, Tharanga ducks it, a dot ball. FOUR! That was short and wide, Tharanga smashed it for a boundary in front of square. Still a good pitch to bat on. FOUR! Here comes another one, pushes the ball for a boundary towards covers, second one from the over. We might see Hardik Pandya soon enough. He comes round the wicket, Tharanga guides the ball towards the slip, a dot ball. FOUR! And he ends the over with a boundary, third one from the over. IND 32/1 in 6 overs.
14:31 IST Gunathalika on strike, Shami continues, FOUR! First boundary for him, plays the ball towards deep extra cover, punched! He did well against India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017. He blocks the next ball inside the crease, one more dot to follow. Tharanga glances the ball off the hips, takes a single. Gunathalika works the next ball towards square, takes a couple of runs. He comes over the wicket to Gunathalika. FOUR! Another boundary, he is in good touch. SL 20/1 in 5 overs.
14:27 IST Yadav continues, Tharanga takes a single towards backward point, Jadeja had a scare at the stumps but could not hit them. Two dot balls to follow. Tharanga plays the next one towards short cover, merely defends it on the back foot, a dot ball. Drawn forward and beaten, Umesh is asking questions from the batsman. He takes a single off the last ball towards square leg. SL 10/1 in 4 overs.
14:23 IST Shami continues, he is swinging the ball into the left-hander, a dot ball to start with to Gunathilaka. He takes a single off the first ball towards square leg. Tharanga on strike, that was an outswinger, went away from the batsman, swing and a miss. He plays the next one staying inside the crease, a dot ball. He lets the next one go to Saha. A dot ball to end the over. SL 8/1 in 3 overs
14:18 IST: Umesh Yadav from the other end, Tharanga chops the first one past gully for a boundary. Tharanga tucks the next one to the leg side and picks up a single. Umesh is also bowling in good areas. Karunaratne gets no run. Karunaratne, out trapped in front! Karunaratne lbw b U Yadav 2(9)
14:14 IST: Sri Lanka start their first innings, they will look at a mammoth first innings total set by India. Shami to Karunaratne, 2 runs, to deep backward point, off the fifth ball of the over, first runs. It has been a good start from Shami who has got the ball in the right areas testing the batsman all the time. SL 2/0 in 1 over.
Innings break: India all-out for 600. Dhawan 190, Pujara 153, Pradeep picked up a 6-wicket haul 6/132, Kumara 3/131. #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/rxdcv6QytB
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) July 27, 2017
INNINGS BREAK!
13:53 IST Pandya on strike, Herath continues, a single off the first ball and Pandya gets to his 50 on debut! He has batted well, fearlessly despite being dropped early on. Umesh Yadav on strike, he defends the first ball. FOUR! Umesh opens his arms, gets a boundary towards long off, no holding back. Three dot deliveries to follow. IND 600/9 in 132 overs.
13:49 IST Kumara continues, Yadav is not in a hurry to give his wicket away, he is playing it along, gets a single off the third ball of the over. FOUR! That’s an unorthodox shot from Pandya, muscles it for a boundary towards long off. He takes a single off the next ball, moves to 49. SIX! Umesh Yadav takes Kumara on, hits it over the straight boundary for a maximum, Virat Kohli could not control his laughter. IND 595/9 in 132 overs.
13:45 IST Hardik Pandya on strike, Herath continues, he is not looking to take a single every time he hits the ball into the outfield. He is not willing to expose Yadav. Not a single run off the first five balls. FOUR! Pandya goes over the offside fielders, finds a boundary off the last ball of the over. IND 583/9 in 131 overs
13:43 IST Umesh Yadav comes to bat, he is welcomed by a ferocious delivery that hits him on the body. IND 579/9 in 130 overs.
13:38 IST WICKET! Shami c Tharanga b Lahiru Kumara 30(30)
13:38 IST Kumara comes back, the first one hits Pandya’s pads, gets a single off the first one. Shami on strike, he pulls the ball, a huge shout for caught behind but the Umpire says no. Two more dot balls to follow. Shami pulls the ball again, in the air and taken. WICKET! Shami departs for 30, a well played cameo. IND 579/9 in 129.5 overs.
13:33 IST Herath continues, Shami on strike, this time around he is not letting him score easy. SIX! Shami goes down the ground again and gets the same result. It was in the air for a while but well past the fielder. IND 578/8 in 129 overs.
13:30 IST Pandya on strike, Pradeep continues. A couple of runs for Pandya off the first three balls. SIX! Pandya flicks the ball off his pads, that one sail over the ropes for a maximum, he is in no mood to defend. Pandya takes a single and moves into 40s. Shami pulls as well and gets a single. IND 571/8 in 128 overs.
13:25 IST Lahiru Kumara comes to bowl, Shami on strike, he takes a single off the first ball. Next ball, Pandya plays it back to the bowler, it hits the stumps, a single as the ball gets deflected to mid on. Another single off the next ball, this might be frustrating for Sri Lankan bowlers who were looking to wrap this up. Pandya pulls again, miscues it, gets a single. Shami plays the ball towards covers, a dot ball. Last ball of the over, Shami tries to pull but could not get bat on it. IND 562/8 in 127 overs.
13:20 IST Pradeep continues, Shami on strike, he did not attempt an attacking shot off the first ball. Meanwhile, fielding change from Herath. Shami dabs down the short ball and takes a quick single, was in danger for a while. Pandya cuts that away awya for a single. Shami tries the pull shot again, ends up missing it, a dot ball. Shami pulls once again, the ball was in the air and lands in no-man’s land, a single taken. IND 558/8 in 126 overs.
12:14 IST Herath continues, Shami on strike, for a change he defends, two dot balls. A single off the third one. Pandya takes a big stride forward and sweeps the ball, takes a single. SIX! Shami goes big again, hits the ball high and handsome, another maximum, he has scored 18 runs off 19 balls already. He takes a single off the next. IND 555/8 in 125 overs.
13:11 IST Pandya on strike, Pradeep continues, SIX! That’s the second six of the innings, perfect pull shot for the all-rounder. He takes a single off the third ball of the over. Shami plays the pull shot, it was in the air for a while but lands safe, picks up a single. Pandya pushes the ball towards covers, a dot ball as it gets fielded inside the circle. SIX! Pandya pulls again and succeeds this time as well, second maximum of the over, 14 runs from it. IND 546/8 in 124 overs.
13:06 IST Shami on strike, Herath continues, SIX! First maximum of the innings, hits it over the bowler’s head for a biggie. Shami making a statement here. He takes a single off the next playing a grounded shot. Pandya pushes the ball back to the bowler, a dot ball. He defends the next ball on the front foot. Plays the next one towards cover-point, another dot ball. A single off the last ball of the over. IND 532/8 in 123 overs.
13:03 IST Mohammed Shami comes to bat, he defends the first ball by getting his whole body behind the bat. Shami works the ball into the gap, picks up three runs off that one, gets off the mark. A short ball from Pradeep, it seems like Pandya is trying to get out, trying the upper cut again and again. He needs to know it’s not 20-20 cricket. FOUR! Pandya plays a ram shot and gets the boundary. IND 524/8 in 122 overs.
12:59 IST WICKET! Jadeja b Pradeep 15(24)
12:59 IST Pradeep continues, starts off with a short delivery to Jadeja, a dot ball. WICKET! Jadeja has been bowled by Pradeep, the age old trick does the work for Pradeep, a yorker followed by a bouncer, his 6th wicket of the match, his best First-Class figures. IND 517/8 in 121.2 overs.
12:55 IST Pandya has been dropped twice now, Herath continues, Pandya sweeps and gets a single off the first ball. Jadeja is defending the ball spinning back to him. He gets a single off the fifth ball towards long on. Last ball of the over, Padnya defends the last ball. IND 517/7 in 121 overs.
12:53 IST Pradeep continues, Jadeja is not looking to attack. That means Kohli will not declare before Tea Break. A single on the third ball. FOUR! Pandya pulls and the ball takes the top edge, a boundary for him, lucky for the batsman. Another short ball, this time too short. One more short ball to follow, Pandya tries to upper cut, mistimes it, gets a single off the last ball. IND 515/7 in 120 overs.
12:49 IST Herath continues, Jadeja on strike, he defends the first ball. Next ball, that one spun a lot, goes down the leg side and Dickwella misses it, a single through byes. Pandya is struggling against Herath, he has been beaten by the Sri Lankan skipper. Edged and dropped! Dimuth Karunaratne drops a golden catch on the slips, Pandya survives. IND 509/7 in 119 overs.
12:46 IST Pradeep continues, Jadeja on strike, he punches the first ball after lunch on the back foot, FOUR! Good shot to start off the over, not bothered by Pradeep coming round the wicket. Jadeja defends the next ball. A short ball from Pradeep, surprised Jadeja a bit, he did not offer a shot on that one. Jadeja leaves the next ball, he is looking confident today. He flicks the next ball off the hips, takes a single. Pradeep comes round the wicket to Pandya as well, short ball creates problems as Pandya falls on the ground. IND 508/7 in 118 overs.
12:40 IST The players are back on the field for the second session of play!
‘Test Cricket is all about making comebacks’ and that’s exactly what Sri Lanka did in the first session of Day 2. They have been able to take three wickets including Rahane, Pujara and Ashwin. India is not in a commanding position anymore, they will have to bat well in the second session to get past 600. The 10-man Sri Lankan squad will be looking to wrap the first innings quickly and focus on narrowing down the lead.
With Jadeja and Pandya in the middle India have every chance of getting past 600. Pandya will be under the scanner on his debut match, it’s a golden opportunity for him to shine.
Lunch on Day 2, India on 503/7 (117 overs) Jadeja 8*, Pandya 4*, Nuwan Pradeep claims his first five -wicket haul in Tests. #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/YBHzU2ERQK
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) July 27, 2017
LUNCH BREAK!
12:02 IST Herath continues, Jadeja on strike, FOUR! He goes back into the crease and punches the ball through covers, that was a freebie for Jadeja. 500 up for India! Next ball, he wanted to work that one towards third man, a dot ball as he could not time it. Jadeja offers a defensive shot on the next ball. Jadeja works the next ball towards square leg, takes a single. Pandya plays the next one towards offside, a dot ball. He defends the darted int delivery. IND 503/7 in 117 overs.
11:59 IST Ravindra Jadeja comes to bat, Pradeep comes round the wicket to him. Jadeja defends the first ball on the back foot with a straight bat. A similar shot off the next ball. Jadeja picks up a couple of runs, gets off the mark, a wild throw but he was well home. Jadeja opens the face of the bat towards point, takes a single. Last ball of the over, mistimed shot towards offside, a dot ball to finish off. IND 498/3 in 116 overs.
11:53 IST WICKET! Ashwin c Dickwella b Pradeep 47(60) Ashwin makes a mistake and he is gone. A five-wicket haul for Nuwan Pradeep, he has bowled brilliantly well for Sri Lanka. India might get all out before the second session’s play ends. IND 495/7 in 115.1 overs.
11:51 IST Hardik Pandya comes to bat, his debut innings, Pandya defends the first ball with a straight bat. He defends the next one as well. FOUR! Pandya can just play two defensive shots and then BAM! goes down the wicket and hits it past Herath for a boundary. Last ball of the over, a dot ball to end the over. IND 495/6 in 115 overs.
11:47 IST WICKET! Saha c Dilruwan b Herath 16 (32) First wicket for Herath and third wicket for Sri Lanka in the first session. IND 491/6 in 114.1 overs.
11:45 IST Nuwan Pradeep is back into the attack. Ashwin on strike, he flicks the ball, WHOA! he could have been run out by the short leg fielder Mendis, good fielding, got two runs off that one through overthrow. Two dot balls to follow, Pradeep is trying to put pressure on Ashwin who is closing in on his half century. Ashwin is calm and composed, plays it towards covers, a dot ball. A bouncer from Pradeep, almost surprised Ashwin, a dot ball. WIDE! That was beyond his reach. Ashwin plays it towards covers, another dot ball to end the over. IND 491/5 in 114 overs.
11:41 IST Perera continues, he has given 123 runs and has not picked a wicket yet. Ashwin takes a single off the miscued shot on the second ball. 50 run partnership! It has been a good partnership between the two after Pujara-Rahane’s wicket. Saha goes back into the crease and plays the ball towards covers, picks up a single. Ashwin drives the ball towards covers, takes a single. Saha caresses the next one towards midwicket, a dot ball. FOUR! Sweep shot from Saha, gets a boundary. IND 488/5 in 113 overs.
11:37 IST Kumara continues, Ashwin is just looking to play the ball on it’s merit. The right way to go. Two dot balls followed by a single off the yorker. Saha on strike, he plays it towards mid on, no run. A short ball on the off stump line, Saha lets it go, a dot ball. Another short ball, Saha ducks this time, just a single from the over. IND 481/5 in 112 overs.
11:33 IST Dilruwan Perera to Ashwin, he is bowling round the wicket to him. A couple of runs off the first ball, Ashwin takes a single off the fourth ball. Two dot balls to follow as Saha looks to defend. IND 480/5 in 111 overs.
11:30 IST Ashwin is racing towards his half century whereas Saha is looking to settle himself in. It seems like Sri Lankan bowlers have had their play and the Indian batsmen are set and rebuilding the innings. IND 477/5 in 110 overs.
10:55 IST Herath continues, Ashwin on strike, he is welcomed with an attacking field. Four dots from Herath. FOUR! Ashwin gets to the pitch of the ball and turns it away for a boundary, second one for him. A dot ball to finish off the over. IND 436/5 in 103 overs.
10:52 IST Wriddhiman Saha comes to bat, he is being cautious against Kumara. Sri Lanka have made a comeback in this first Test. They have got the wickets of two set batsmen. Saha pushes the ball towards mid off, a dot ball. Short ball from Kumara, Saha defends it on the back foot. He defends the last ball of the over awkwardly. IND 432/5 in 102 overs.
Pujara, Rahane fall early on Day 2, India 436/5 (103 overs) Ashwin 10*, Saha 0* #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/DHxek2WfXw
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) July 27, 2017
10:48 IST WICKET! Rahane c Karunaratne b Lahiru Kumara 57(130)
10:48 IST Lahiru Kumara comes into the attack, Rahane on strike, edged and taken. Second wicket of the day falls. Kumara gets his first wicket in the match. IND 432/5 in 101.1 overs
10:46 IST Herath continues, Rahane takes a single off the second ball of the over. Ashwin took to defend as Herath is bowling a tight line to him. Just a single off the over. IND 432/4 in 101 overs.
10:44 IST Pradeep continues, Rahane plays it on the on side, picks up a single. Ashwin on strike, he is vulnerable now, three slips in place for him. Ashwin defends the ball swinging in to him, a dot ball. FOUR! Ashwin plays it on the up and pushes the ball through covers, gets a boundary. Ashwin plays the next one towards cover-point, a dot ball. Two dot balls to follow. A couple of runs off the last ball of the over. IND 431/4 in 100 overs
10:38 IST Herath continues, Rahane on strike, he is now charged up and ready to put pressure on the new batsmen. A single on the fourth ball of the over. Ashwin on strike, Rahane talks to him, gives him some advice. Two good deliveries from Herath, just a single from the over. IND 424/4 in 99 overs
Surprise, surprise! Ravichandran Ashwin comes to bat ahead of Wriddhiman Saha and Hardik Pandya. Edged on the first ball, Pradeep is lethal with the new ball. Another dot ball to end the over. IND 423/4 in 98 overs
Nuwan Pradeep claims his fouth Wicket, Pujara caught behind for 153. IND 423/4 (97.4 Ovs) #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/asNWrMltjO
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) July 27, 2017
10:32 IST Pujara c Dickwella b Pradeep 153(265) Good bowling from Pradeep, he has been the lone warrior in the Sri Lankan bowling lineup. Gets an edge and takes the crucial wicket in the first session. IND 423/4 in 97.4 overs
10:30 IST Rahane-Pujara are cruising along. They are making batting look easy at the Galle. Rahane reaches his 50 whereas Pujara reaches his 150. Herath introduced himself early on in the first session after Perera failed to make an impact. IND 421/3 in 97 overs
10:08 IST Nuwan Pradeep comes to bowl, a seamer from one end and spinner on another. Rahane on strike, he lets the first ball go to Dickwell, a dot ball. Not shot offered on the next ball as well, a dot ball. Rahane once again leaves the ball, not willing to take chances early on in the day. Swing and a miss, Rahane could not get bat on that, beautiful delivery from Pradeep. He is the Danger-Man! This time the ball comes into Rahane, he plays it towards midwicket, a dot ball. Last ball of the over, good shot from Rahane but fielded by mid off, a maiden over for Pradeep. IND 404/3 in 92 overs.
10:03 IST And it’s underway, Dilruwan Perera to Rahane, he takes a single straightaway, plays it towards square leg. Round the wicket to Pujara, he comes down the wicket and takes a single towards midwicket. Rahane defends the next ball on the front foot. He charges down the wicket to hit the ball, could not get it past the mid on fielder. Rahane goes deep into the crease and turns the ball away for a single towards fine leg. Last ball of the over, he plays the ball towards onside, picks up a couple of runs. Pujara edging closer to his 150. IND 404/3 in 91 overs
09:59 IST The players are in the field for the first session of play on Day 2.
09:56 IST Kohli giving a motivational speech to the players in team huddle ahead of the game.
09:53 IST The match will be starting anytime soon.
09:46 IST Test matches are all about making a comeback. Team India knows that better than anyone else. They should not take Sri Lanka lightly.
09:44 IST Overcast conditions at Galle, we might not get a full day’s play after all.
09:40 IST Meanwhile, Kohli is giving a few throwdowns to Pujara, it seems the skipper wants him to play a long inning.
09:36 IST The X-factor will be Nuwan Pradeep who has already taken 3 wickets. But, he needs support from the other end to put pressure and get more wickets.
09:33 IST Ajinkya Rahane is already prepping up for the match. He is restless to score a century, this might well be his chance to do so.
09:14 IST India still have Wriddhiman Saha, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja coming up. According to Test standards, India bat deep and we should expect them to bat through the day.
09:14 IST Will Rangana Herath show faith in Lahiru Kumara after a dismal show on Day 1? Stay tuned to find out!
09:07 IST For the time being the weather at Galle is partly cloudy. We expect a full first session on Day 2.
Welcome to inUth’s digital coverage of India vs Sri Lanka, Day 2 at Galle. Day 1 belonged to India as they posted a mammoth total of 399 for 3 on the scoreboard. It would have been a bigger one had Shikhar Dhawan stayed at the crease after Tea Break. Dhawan got out on 190 missing out on a number of records but Cheteshwar Pujara kept calm. Pujara went about his work like he always does, as former Indian spinner Murali Karthik says, ‘Pujara has an old school approach’. Pujara is still at the crease and batting on 144. He is on his way to his second double hundred in Tests, he has got out the perfect partner in Ajinkya Rahane who is batting on 39 and has put on more than 100 runs for the fourth-wicket partnership.
Pitch Report:
It is quite clear now that this pitch is nothing like the ones Galle had earlier. The turn from the surface has not proved to be lethal yet. It is still a batting paradise and Indian batsmen will be looking to make the most of it. Expect a score in excess of 600 with Pujara and Rahane settled, Hardik Pandya too will be playing freely in his debut Test given the platform he has got.
Nice and straight! @ajinkyarahane88 preps for Day a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash”>#TeamIndia #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/xrP6SuZaJc
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 27, 2017
Weather Report:
The weather will be cloudy in most parts of the first session. Expect a rain shower post lunch session which might play spoilsport in India’s party. Showers are expected on Day 2 at Galle which might work in favour of Sri Lanka, breaking Indian batsmen rhythm and also provide moisture to the pitch.
10-man Sri Lanka
The hosts took a huge hit when Dhawan was dropped on 32, to top it Asela Gunaratne got injured. The broken thumb led to him being ruled out of the Test series and leaving Sri Lanka one-man short in the first Test.
Stumps on Day 1, India post 399/3 (90.0 Ovs) Pujara 144*, Rahane 39*, Pradeep 3/64. #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/pK4sxJUCm5
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) July 26, 2017
Playing XIs:
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Upul Tharanga, Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Angelo Mathews, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella(w), Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath(c), Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep
India: Shikhar Dhawan, Abhinav Mukund, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami
