While India scored at a good rate, it was Sri Lanka who took the honours in the first session of the second Test match against India in Bengaluru. After Rohit Sharma won the toss in the Pink-ball Test match, Sri Lanka’s bowlers grabbed the advantage with 4 big wickets in the first session. Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer saw out the final few overs in the session as India went into the Tea break at 93/4.
The first to depart was Mayank Agarwal, with the score on 10, when there was a mix-up with Rohit, as the Sri Lankan fielders were more than happy to receive the gift. Rohit and Hanuma Vihari then tried to drop anchor.
The duo put on 19 and played out most of the first hour, before Rohit departed for 15, falling to Lasith Embuldeniya.
India were scoring at a good rate and Virat Kohli joined Vihari, with both looking to keep Sri Lanka at bay. Vihari and Kohli were steady in the middle as Sri Lanka stuck to rotating their spinners for the majority of the session.
Vihari even survived an LBW call as the DRS went his way and, together with Kohli put on a crucial 47-run stand in the session. India’s new number 3 however could not carry on the good work and was dismissed Praveen Jayawickrama for 31 off 81 deliveries just as the session was nearing an end.
Soon after, Kohli got a snorter from Dhananjaya de Silva, it kept very low and trapped the former India captain LBW for a gritty 23. Kohli’s reaction and the way the ball is behaving is something that will really please the Indian spinners.
Rishabh Pant meanwhile came out all guns firing and scored a quickfire 16 of 9 deliveries, and was dropped on his third delivery as well. He along with Shreyas Iyer though saw out the final few deliveries in the session as India went into the break with the score at 93/4.
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