Devdutt Padikkal grabbed hold of the opportunity at Number 3 and continued from where he left off in the warm-up fixture a few days ago. Devdutt Padikkal became the first Indian Number 3 to score a ton in 35 innings, the previous being current Indian captain Shubman Gill. His 131* alongside KL Rahul’s 77 retired hurt has put India in front on a rain-affected first day in Galle.
The Sri Lankan bowlers toiled hard after losing the toss and had their moments here and there. But there was nothing much on offer for the bowlers as Galle produced a decent Test wicket and not a rank turner that many feared. At the end of Day 1, India will be the happier side at this stage.
Yashasvi Jaiswal falls to an unfortunate run-out, but India get off to a solid start in the morning session
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul opened the batting for India while Asitha Fernando had the ball in hand for Sri Lanka. Jaiswal was off and running with a boundary through the midwicket region with a flick of the wrists. Lahiru Kumara shared the new ball from the other end. He started with a maiden over. Fernando bowled a tight over as well. Rahul got underway with a pull through backward square leg for a boundary. Fernando bowled a decent over.
KL Rahul completed 1000 runs vs Sri Lanka in international cricket. Kumara continued as Jaiswal slapped the ball through gully for a boundary. Jaiswal hit him again along the ground through mid-on for a boundary. Fernando continued and bowled a decent over. Jaiswal was in the zone as he drove the ball past mid-on for a boundary. Rahul got into the act as he tickled it down past the deep fine leg fielder for a boundary.
Spin was introduced now as Keshara Nuwantha came into the attack next. He bowled a decent first over. Prabath Jayasuriya came into the attack next. He bowled a good first over even as Nishan Madushka got hit at short leg and left the field with concussion issues. India were 39/0 in 10 overs. Jaiswal then nailed the sweep along the ground to deep square leg for a boundary. Jaiswal managed to get a triple past the backward point region.
Against the run of play, there was a big mix-up as both batters were at the same end, with Jaiswal being run out for 32 off 37 balls with 5 fours to his name as Jayasuriya effected the run-out at the striker’s end. Devdutt Padikkal came out to bat next. Drinks came onto the field after 11 overs with India at 47/1. Jayasuriya continued after the break and bowled a maiden over.
Nuwantha continued as Padikkal pulled it down to deep midwicket for a boundary. Jayasuriya continued as Padikkal thumped down the ground straight as an arrow for the maximum. Lahiru Kumara came back into the attack. He bowled a decent over. Rahul joined the party as he launched it down the ground for the maximum. Kumara continued as Padikkal tickled it right of the keeper for a boundary. Jayasuriya bowled another probing over.
Nuwantha returned and overstepped as a spinner. Jayasuriya bowled a maiden. Nuwantha continued and bowled a decent over. Jayasuriya continued as Rahul pumped it downtown for a boundary. Nuwantha continued as Padikkal clipped it through the vacant long leg region for a boundary. Jayasuriya continued and bowled a decent over. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva came into the attack next. Padikkal took it on and whipped it past short midwicket for a boundary.
Jayasuriya continued as Rahul rocked back and cut it past cover point and backward point for a boundary. The 100 came up for India in 25.4 overs. Dhananjaya de Silva continued to bowl the last over before lunch, and he bowled a decent over. India were 101/1 in 27 overs with KL Rahul unbeaten on 32 off 77 balls and Padikkal unbeaten on 35 off 49 balls at Lunch on Day 1. Heavy rain lashed Galle at Lunch and delayed play for the afternoon session.
KL Rahul & Devdutt Padikkal drive home the advantage after Lunch in a wicketless session post the downpour
After a delay of an hour and 20 minutes, play finally got underway at 2 PM IST. KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal came out to resume proceedings for India while Prabath Jayasuriya had the ball in hand for Sri Lanka. Jayasuriya started with a decent first over. Asitha Fernando came into the attack next from the other end. He bowled a probing over. Jayasuriya delivered a maiden over.
Fernando too kept it tight as well. Nishan Madushka came back on the field as welcome news for Sri Lanka from his concussion injury. Padikkal cut the ball through cover point for a triple. Fernando continued and overstepped as well despite bowling a quiet over. Jayasuriya bowled another decent over. Fernando bowled another maiden over. Jayasuriya bowled probing lines and lengths. Padikkal reached his second Test fifty in 81 balls. Rahul cut the ball past deep point for a boundary.
Jayasuriya continued as Padikkal hit it past deep point for a boundary. Kumara bowled a decent over as well. Sonal Dinusha came into the attack next. He bowled a decent first over as India reached 138/1 in 40 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the afternoon session. Keshara Nuwantha came back into the attack next. He bowled a decent over. Dinusha continued as Padikkal creamed the ball through the covers for a boundary. The 100-run stand came up between the two players.
Rahul reached his fifty in 127 balls as he got to his 21st Test fifty. The 150 came up for India in 42.3 overs courtesy a triple from Padikkal towards the fine leg region. Dinusha continued and bowled a decent over. Nuwantha continued and bowled a decent over. Dinusha continued as Padikkal slapped it through covers for a boundary. Nuwantha continued as Rahul punched it through the covers for a boundary.
Jayasuriya returned and bowled a maiden over. Nuwantha overstepped again. Rahul hit Nuwantha for a boundary through the third man region. Jayasuriya continued and bowled a miserly over. Nuwantha continued as Rahul began to feel some cramps in his body. Rahul survived a close run-out scare at the non-striker’s end, dragging the bat in time. Rahul then threaded the needle with a drive through extra covers and mid-off for a boundary.
Keshara Nuwantha continued to bowl the last over before Tea. Rahul drilled it along the ground past mid-off for a boundary as the 150-run stand came up between the two players. India reached 197/1 in 53 overs with Padikkal unbeaten on 84 off 122 balls alongside KL Rahul unbeaten on 77 off 162 balls, as the latter was in severe pain due to cramps at Tea on Day 1.
Devdutt Padikkal’s unbeaten maiden Test ton puts India in the driving seat at the end of Day 1
After Tea, cramps got the better of KL Rahul on his hands and legs, and he had to walk off the field retired hurt on 77*. That meant it was captain Shubman Gill joining Devdutt Padikkal in the middle while Lahiru Kumara started the proceedings for Sri Lanka after Tea. The 200 came up for India in 53.4 overs. Nuwantha had the ball in hand from the other end. He bowled a decent over.
Kumara continued as Padikkal tickled it away to the fine leg fence for a boundary. Padikkal again got the ball on the pads and put it away past fine leg for a boundary. Padikkal survived a little scare when on 98* as he was beaten by Nuwantha all ends up. Then the milestone moment arrived as Padikkal reached his ton in 134 balls, his maiden Test ton. Jayasuriya returned and bowled a decent over. Asitha returned to the attack as Gill pressed forward and drove it through the covers for a boundary. Gill creamed it through the covers for a boundary.
Jayasuriya continued and bowled a decent over. Asitha continued and bowled a decent over. Against the run of play, Gill gave his wicket away as he gifted Jayasuriya a wicket. He was holed out in the deep as he fell for 16 off 28 balls with 2 fours to his name. Rishabh Pant came out to bat next. He got off the mark straightaway. Nuwantha came back into the attack next. He again bowled a probing over. India were 239/2 in 63 overs when rain came out of nowhere and halted play for a while.
Play resumed after 20 minutes with Prabath Jayasuriya starting after the break. He bowled a decent over. Nuwantha continued as Pant got a boundary over deep mid-off as well. Jayasuriya continued and bowled a decent over. Nuwantha continued as Padikkal got down on one knee and swept it down to the fine leg fence for a boundary. The 250 came up for India in 66.3 overs. Padikkal swept it away to deep backward square leg fence for a boundary.
Jayasuriya continued as Pant took him on and launched the ball over cow corner for the maximum. Pant went after him again and heaved it away for a boundary to deep midwicket. Nuwantha continued as Pant rocked back and pulled it away past deep midwicket for a boundary. Dhananjaya continued and bowled a decent over. Nuwantha bowled another decent over.
Dhananjaya de Silva came back into the attack next as Padikkal hammered the ball through midwicket with a pull for a boundary. Nuwantha continued as the 50-run stand came up between the two left-handers. India were 288/2 in 73 overs with Padikkal batting unbeaten on 131 off 178 balls while Pant was with him unbeaten on 27 off 36 balls as Bad Light at 6 PM IST forced the end of play on Day 1. 5 extras were given by the Sri Lankans.
Prabath Jayasuriya finished the day with figures of 1/77 in 24 overs. There was one run out of Jaiswal, and Rahul retired hurt. Asitha Fernando finished with 0/28 in 10 overs. Lahiru Kumara finished with 0/51 in 10 overs. Keshara Nuwantha finished with 0/98 in 21 overs. Dhananjaya de Silva finished with 0/15 in 4 overs. Sonal Dinusha finished with 0/17 in 4 overs. India are on top at the end of Day 1.
Video Analysis of Day 1
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What Lies Ahead on Day 2
India are in a commanding position at the end of Day 1 and would like to drive home the advantage. The aim will be to get to 450-500 from here ideally. Sri Lanka will search for early wickets on Day 2 and claw their way back into the game. They would like to restrict India to around 400. The pitch is taking spin slowly, but is a decent track to bat on as we speak.
An intriguing day awaits us all on Day 2. Play will start 15 minutes early at 9:45 AM IST to make up for lost time on Day 1. Will it be India’s day again? Find out tomorrow.
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