India 460 for 9 (Padikkal 167, Rahul 82, Jurel 51, Jayasuriya 4-109, Nuwantha 3-175) vs Sri Lanka
Possibly worried about the time lost already and the forecast during the rest of the Test, India’s batting had a sense of adventure resuming on 288 for 2. Rishabh Pant hit a four off the first ball he faced, but with the pitch progressing towards more turn and Nuwantha holding his length, Pant soon holed out to a good catch at wide mid-off. While such a shot is not out of character for Pant, it was quite similar to how Shubman Gill out on the first day, suggesting India didn’t want to waste time after the good start they had got.
Padikkal, meanwhile, continued from where he left off, using the depth of the crease against spin and then brought up his 150 with a nonchalant flick off Asitha Fernando. He looked to dominate Jayasuriya again, but the spinner had his own back with a delivery that held its line and left his stranded outside the crease.
At 377 for 6, any hopes Sri Lanka had of restricting India were put paid to by a 55-run stand between Jurel and Manav Suthar. Jurel hardly looked like he was there but you looked up at the scorecard and he was bringing up his fifty with another nudged single. The two disdainful pulls for four off Lahru Kumara stood out, though.
In a fashion that would have only encouraged India, Jayasuriya got one to turn from leg for a stunning slip catch for Dhananjaya de Silva soon after Jurel brought up his fifty. India then promoted Mohammed Siraj, possibly looking for quick runs, who hit Nuwantha for a big six before falling to a slower ball from Asitha. Suthar immediately hit Jayasuriya straight to long-on in the dying moments of the day.
