From 288/2 to 460/9: Sri Lanka spinners turn the tide on rain-hit Day 2

Finding their bite a tad late, Sri Lanka’s spinners finally showed up in the first Test against India at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, with the ‘King of Galle’, left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya (4-109 in 39 overs), and debutant off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha (3-175 in 39 overs) sharing all seven wickets to fall.


On a heavily rain-curtailed Day Two, with only 43 overs possible, India lost seven wickets for 172 runs but still reached a comfortable 460-9, thanks largely to a fluent 51 (68b, 4x4, 1x6) from Dhruv Jurel. It was the wicketkeeper-batter’s second Test half-century and his first in eight innings. The centrepiece of India’s innings, though, was Devdutt Padikkal’s elegant 167 (230b, 15x4, 1x6), the fourth-highest Test score by an Indian batter in Sri Lanka. Jurel, who came in as a wicketkeeper-batter but is playing as a specialist batter, has for now justified the team management’s decision to pick him ahead of injury replacement Sarfaraz Khan.

Ideally, India would like to declare overnight and unleash their pacers in search of early wickets on Day Three, especially after considerable time has already been lost to bad weather, which is expected to affect the remainder of the Test.

Play began only at 2.35pm after showers, but Sri Lanka bounced back superbly with the new ball after an ordinary opening day. They took three wickets for 76 runs in 21 overs before tea, with India at 364-5 after resuming at 288-2. The hosts then claimed four more wickets in the final session, conceding 96 runs in 23 overs. Bowling slightly quicker through the air after being too slow on the opening day, the Sri Lankan spinners finally extracted more from the slow surface and reaped the rewards after having bowled 78 overs without much success.

Resuming on 131, Padikkal completed his maiden Test 150 off 215 balls with a superb lofted flick over mid-wicket off pacer Asitha Fernando. His long vigil ended when he was stumped off a beauty from Jayasuriya, who held his length back after seeing the left-hander charge down the track.

India’s day began on a wrong note when Rishabh Pant (39, 62b, 4x4, 1x6) stepped out and miscued a flighted delivery from Nuwantha to deepish mid-off, where Sonal Dinusha took the catch. It was Nuwantha’s maiden Test wicket. Rahul, who had retired hurt on 77 with cramps on Saturday, resumed after Pant’s dismissal but added only five runs before falling to Nuwantha. He flicked a turning delivery off the back foot to Nishan Fernando at short leg, who took a sharp reflex catch.

After tea, Ravindra Jadeja fell lbw for 13 (25b, 1x4) to Nuwantha, unsuccessfully reviewing the decision.

Brief scores:

India (o/n 288/2) 460/9 in 116 overs (KL Rahul 82, D Padikkal 167, D Jurel 51; Nuwantha 3/175, Jayasuriya 4/109) vs Sri Lanka. Match to continue.