Ind v SL, 1st Test, Day 2, Review: Cheteshwar Pujara stands tall as India wobble on another rain marred day

Rain gods continued to stamp their authority in the ongoing Test match between India and Sri Lanka in Kolkata at Eden Gardens. Only 21 overs were bowled on the second day as play never resumed after being halted by the rain in the morning. Sri Lanka dominated the play yet again despite Cheteshwar Pujara standing tall amidst all the wickets falling around him. Dasun Shanaka picked both the wickets in the day as Suranga Lakmal bowled with hostility.

The play was started 15 minutes early in order to recover lost overs on the first day of the game. The conditions were overcast but there was no rain apart from a little shower in the mid-night. The overnight batsmen Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane strode out to the middle thinking of resurrecting the innings from 17/3. Lakmal, as usual, took on from where he left on the first day and bowled back to back maidens. Shanaka opened the bowling from the other end and soon found the edge of Rahane who tried to drive the ball away from the body.

Pujara’s high-class knock

Ravichandran Ashwin joined Pujara as the duo went about their business of leaving the balls outside the off-stump. The latter didn’t take any pressure as the wicket continued to help the seam bowlers and kept on playing the deliveries on its merit. But Ashwin fell into the trap and drove on the up off Shanaka to gift him his second wicket of the day. Both him and Rahane scored only 4 runs each as the score stood at 50/5. Wriddhiman Saha came out to bat and survived some close calls even as the new wall of India (Pujara) started playing some strokes.

Dinesh Chandimal had to rest his seam bowlers and surprisingly he brought Dimuth Karunaratne to bowl who is part-timer ahead of Rangana Herath. Pujara sensed a sniff and latched on to the freebies presented by the bowler. Soon Saha took charge and scored some quick runs. Just when the duo looked comfortable, the rain arrived and started falling heavily forcing to stop the play with only 21 overs into the day. It never stopped and unfortunately, the umpires had to call off the day by the tea time as total 147 overs lost in two days.

Pujara remained unbeaten on 47 with 9 fours alongside Saha who scored 6 as India finished the day on 74/5. Lakmal has now bowled 9 maidens out of 11 overs and just conceded five runs picking three top-order wickets on the first day. Shanaka was the pick of the bowlers who took both the wickets to fall and returned with the figures of 2/23. The conditions doesn’t seem to be improving in Kolkata and the game is heading towards a draw. Though it might yield a result if the play is possible on the next three days weather permitting.

Brief Scores

India 74/5 after 32.5 overs (C Pujara 47*; S Lakmal 3/5, D Shanaka 2/23)