Cheteshwar Pujara marked his recall with an unbeaten century after Sri Lanka’s Dhammika Prasad ripped through India’s batting in the decisive third and final Test in Colombo yesterday.
The tourists, who resumed at 50-2 after a rain-curtailed opening day, moved to 292-8 by stumps on the second day at the Sinhalese Sports Club with Pujara holding fort on a watchful 135 not out.
Pujara, who had been dropped for India’s past four Tests across Australia, Bangladesh and the ongoing series, might not have played this match too if both regular openers Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan had been fit.
Photo: AFP
The 27-year-old grabbed the chance to notch his seventh Test century.
Fast bowler Prasad bowled superbly to take four wickets in the innings, including two off successive deliveries on either side of the lunch break to reduce India to 119-5.
No. 9 Amit Mishra came to India’s rescue with a defiant 59 during an eighth wicket stand of 104 with Pujara to boost the total.
When play resumed under bright skies on the second day, the tourists were restricted to 22 runs in the first 15 overs by some accurate bowling.
India skipper Virat Kohli survived a torrid opening over from Prasad in which he was lucky to escape a loud shout for LBW off the second ball and was beaten by the final ball of the over.
Kohli added four runs to his overnight score of 14 when Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews, who replaced Prasad at the bowling crease, had his counterpart caught behind by Kusal Perera.
Rohit Sharma added 55 runs for the fourth wicket with Pujara, scoring 26 with three fours and a six before he edged a catch to first slip off Prasad in what became the final delivery of the morning session.
Prasad, who still had one ball to bowl in the over on resumption, trapped Stuart Binny LBW with the first delivery to open up India’s lower order.
Debutant wicketkeeper Naman Ojha helped Pujara add 54 for the sixth wicket, himself making 21 before he holed out in the deep attempting to smash off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal out of the ground.
Prasad removed Ravichandran Ashwin with the first ball of a new spell, caught behind by Perera for five, but Mishra joined Pujara to frustrate Sri Lanka.
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