After 91 overs, India 374/6
Lakmal continues. Four tuns came off Embuldeniya’s over before this with Jadeja and Ashwin dealing with singles. In Lakmal’s over, Jadeja collects a brace with a push through to deep extra cover.
After 89 overs, India 368/6
Lakmal continues. Just two runs came before this over in Embuldeniya’s one. Jadeja finds the third man fence for another boundary in this one.
After 87 overs, India 362/6
Lakmal continues. Jadeja gets to his fifty with a four that is punched through covers. Meanwhile, the commentators on air says Lahiru Kumara had an MRI scan following an injury and might be out of action for upto two weeks.
FIFTY! Neatly punched through the covers and Ravindra Jadeja scores his fifty. He reaches his milestone in 88 balls.
After 86 overs, India 358/6
Lasith Embuldeniya with the first over of the day. Jadeja with the first run of the day by cutting towards deep backward point. Just the one run from the over.
Both the teams observe a minute’s silence in memory of Australia cricket legend Shane Warne, who passed away at the age of 52. Both India and Sri Lanka players have worn black armbands.
“Day one belonged to the batters. It is a nice, crispy and chilly morning and that helps the pitch to hold it together. Looked like a really good batting surface yesterday and India made full use of it. You’d have to think it will turn more on day two. There is enough bare patches on the pitch and that should help the spinners. Still looks a good pitch to bat on,” says Ajit Agarkar along with Deep Dasgupta at the pitch report.
“I am preparing as I have always prepared. As long as I am batting well, I am not bothered. We are somehow crazy about milestones and materialistic achievements,” said Virat Kohli after Day 1 of the first Test. Check out the full report here.
Virat Kohli missed out on a half-century, while Rishabh Pant ended up four runs short of a hundred. 85 overs were bowled on Day 1, a day which was action-packed to put the match well in the balance. Check out photos from Day 1 here.
Vihari’s ice meets Pant’s fire as hosts search for new middle order balance
Test cricket today is about ice and fire, and in Vihari-Pant, India might just have an optimal concoction for the future, writes Chetan Narula. Read the full piece here.