COLOMBO: Centuries from Dhruv Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal helped India pile up a massive 503-9 before declaring on the second day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground on Monday.
Resuming their innings at 300-5, India added 203 runs before declaring after 138 overs, with Jurel remaining unbeaten on 115 and Ravindra Jadeja making a valuable 43.
Jurel faced 177 deliveries and struck nine fours and two sixes during his composed century, while Jadeja hit four boundaries in his 83-ball knock before being dismissed.
Rishabh Pant, who resumed his innings after retiring hurt on day one, was dismissed for 63 off 89 deliveries, having hit six boundaries and two sixes.
Manav Suthar added 18 off 51 balls, including two fours, while Saransh Jain made six off eight deliveries. Mohammed Siraj contributed three runs before India declared.
For Sri Lanka, Asitha Fernando was the pick of the bowlers with 4-106 from 29 overs. Keshara Nuwantha and Prabath Jayasuriya claimed two wickets each, while Lahiru Kumara took one.
Sri Lanka, in reply, lost two wickets for eight runs in three overs and still trailed by 495 runs. Prasidh Krishna struck early, dismissing opener Lahiru Udara for one off six deliveries.
Nightwatchman Prabath Jayasuriya was sent in to bat but was later dismissed by Manav Suthar for two off seven deliveries, with Kamil Mishara and Pasindu Sooriyabandara set to resume batting on day three. India strengthened their position against Sri Lanka after a composed century from Devdutt Padikkal on the second day of the first Test.
Padikkal made Sri Lanka pay for two early dropped catches, scoring 117 after his career-best 167 in Galle in the previous Test.
India opted to bat and made a steady start, although Sri Lanka claimed two wickets during an evenly contested opening session.
KL Rahul looked comfortable initially and even struck Prabath Jayasuriya for six, but fell for 18 after misjudging a slash against Dushmantha Chameera Kumara, giving Niroshan Dickwella a simple catch.
Padikkal was twice given lifelines. Sonal Dinusha dropped him at backward point off Kumara, before Dhananjaya de Silva spilled another chance at slip off Nuwantha Fernando.
Yashasvi Jaiswal played aggressively and helped India reach 50 in the 16th over, eventually making 45 with nine fours. However, after hitting three boundaries in an over from Fernando, he edged the next delivery onto his stumps.
The dismissal led to a heated exchange between Jaiswal and Fernando before Sri Lanka’s captain stepped in to calm the players. Shubman Gill joined Padikkal and the pair guided India to 88-2 at lunch.
Sri Lanka struggled to generate movement from a largely unresponsive pitch after the interval. Their seamers turned to short-pitched bowling, while the spinners operated from around the wicket with deliveries outside leg stump, but India remained comfortable.
Padikkal reached his half-century with a well-timed drive as his partnership with Gill passed 100.
Gill completed his fifty in the 50th over but fell soon afterwards, slashing at a delivery outside off from Fernando and edging through to Dickwella. His dismissal ended a 120-run third-wicket stand and brought Rishabh Pant to the crease.
Pant survived a confident lbw appeal from Fernando with his only delivery before tea, with ball-tracking showing the delivery would have missed leg stump. India reached tea at 187-3, with Padikkal unbeaten on 63.
India continued to dominate after tea, although Pant was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the wrist by a short delivery from Kumara. Pant made three from 14 balls before walking off after receiving treatment.
Ravindra Jadeja joined Padikkal and maintained India’s momentum. Padikkal moved into the 90s while Jadeja contributed several boundaries before Padikkal completed his century with a single off Jayasuriya, further enhancing his reputation following his match-winning performance in the first Test. –Agencies
