Colombo [Sri Lanka], August 23 (ANI): It was an even-stevens session on day one of the second Test at Colombo, with Sri Lanka striking twice to remove both Indian openers, but the two-time World Test Championship (WTC) finalists having two extremely reliable stars holding the fort down.
At the end of the first session, India was 88/2, with skipper Shubman Gill (13*) and Devdutt Padikkal (11*) unbeaten.
Opting to bat first, Team India was off to a solid start, with Yashasvi Jaiswal collecting three fours against Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara in the first two overs, including two successive fours against Kumara in the second over.
KL Rahul took 11 balls to open his account, scoring his first runs with an elegant cover drive against Asitha in the fifth over.
After the scoreboard stayed stagnant for a short spell, Jaiswal and KL hit a four and a six against Prabath Jayasuriya in the 10th over.
However, just when KL seemed to be picking up his strike rate, he nicked one straight to Niroshan Dickwella behind the stumps, becoming Kumara's first wicket. KL was gone for 33-ball 18, with two fours and a six. India was 37/1.
A flick towards deep midwicket by Jaiswal against Keshara Nuwantha brought India's 50-run mark in 15.1 overs.
The 17th over was an eventful one, with Jaiswal punishing Asitha with three fours in the space of four balls, but the bowler got the last laugh, as the left-hander's stumps were rattled for a 53-ball 45, with nine fours. India was 66/2 in 17 overs.
Skipper Shubman Gill and Devdutt Padikkal guided India through the remainder of the first session without any further loss of wickets.
India won the toss and elected to bat first, with Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain making his Test debut and spinner Kuldeep Yadav missing the match due to viral illness.
India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Saransh Jain, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva(c), Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella(w), Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando. (ANI)
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