2nd Test, Day 2: Sri Lanka 50/2 at stumps in response to India's 622; visitors in driver's seat

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Colombo, Aug 4: Sri Lanka found themselves in a tight spot at stumps on second day of the second Test match against India here on Friday (August 4).

The hosts were 50/2 in 20 overs and trailed the visiting team's first innings score of 622/9 by 572 runs.

Skipper Dinesh Chandimal (8 not out) and Kusal Mendis (16 not out) were present at the crease when the umpire disloged the bails to signal the end of day's play.

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The hosts would now pin their hopes with these two batsmen for they are capable of steering their side off troubled waters.

Indian spin mainstay Ravichandran Ashwin scalped the two hosts' wickets by removing openers Upul Tharanga (0) and Dimuth Karunaratne (25). His spin partner Ravindra Jadeja along with pacer Mohammed Shami kept things tight for the hosts in their short spells.

Earlier, India skipper Virat Kohli declared the first innings at 622/9 after grinding host bowlers all through the day.

The visitors posted yet another mammoth total against hosts as almost every Indian batsman opened their hands in front of a listless bowling.

Ravindra Jadeja (70*), Wriddhiman Saha (67) and Ravichandran Ashwin (53) scored half-centuries to help the visitors post their second consecutive 500+ total in the series.

Earlier, Ashwin and Saha scored fine half-centuries to take India to 553/7 at tea. Saha shepherded the Indian innings and along with Jadeja frustrated hosts.

The duo shared a 72-run stand for the eighth wicket in the post lunch session, as Ashwin (54) departed on the very next ball after reaching his 11th Test half-century off 91 balls.

In doing so, he became the fourth Indian to achieve the double of 2000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket. He also became the fourth quickest in Test history to get to this milestone in 51 Tests, after Ian Botham (England, 42 Tests), Kapil Dev (India, 50 Tests) and Imran Khan (Pakistan, 50 Tests).

But he couldn't build on it, as Rangana Herath (4-154) bowled him in the 122nd over.

Thereafter, Saha and Hardik Pandya (20) put on 45 runs for the seventh wicket. Both batsmen survived DRS reviews for lbw, and took India past the 500-mark in the 134th over.

The visitors thus became the first team to score 500-plus runs in successive Tests on Sri Lankan soil. Pandya was caught at long-off off Malinda Pushpakumara (2-156).

Saha scored his fifth Test half-century and brought up India's 550 just before the tea break. Jadeja meanwhile constructed his innings very well as he remained unbeaten till the declaration came from upstairs.

He slammed his career's eighth Test fifty and smashed 3 big sixes and 4 boundaries in his unbeaten 85-ball knock. Mohammed Shami played an aggressive cameo of 19 off 8 delveries as he basically dealt in two sixes and a boundary before falling a prey to Herath's experience.

This was after India reached 442/5 at lunch as both Pujara (133) and Rahane (132) fell in the morning session.

Starting from overnight 344/3, Sri Lanka were dealt some bad news in the morning when pacer Nuwan Pradeep (0-63) was ruled out of the remainder of the Test.

The pacer had injured his hamstring on day one and consequently the hosts have been left without a proper fast bowler in their attack for this game. Even so, Pujara (overnight 128*) couldn't take advantage of this situation as Dimuth Karunaratne (1-31) trapped him lbw in the second over of the day.

The bowler needed DRS review to get the dismissal in his favour. Overall, Pujara faced 232 deliveries and hit 11 fours as well as a six. It brought an end to his 217-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Rahane.

The latter though continued batting resolutely and helped India across 400 in the 106th over. He also brought up the 50-partnership with Ashwin for the fifth wicket off 84 balls.

Rahane looked set for a bigger score, but then against the run of play, he was out stumped off Pushpakumara in the 111th over. It was the first Test wicket for the debutant in his 100th First Class match.

Overall, Rahane faced 222 deliveries and hit 14 fours. Saha then joined Ashwin in the middle, and the duo put on 29 runs for the sixth wicket without any trouble, as India progressed towards another tall first innings' score.

myKhel.com News/PTI