Nagpur: Opener Murali Vijay (128, 221b, 11×4, 1×6) added to the selection conundrum with a patient ton and was ably complemented by ‘Run Machine’ Cheteshwar Pujara (121 batting, 284b, 13×4) as India grinded a mediocre Sri Lankan attack on the second day of the second cricket Test, here Saturday.
Pujara and Vijay added 209 runs for the second wicket to set a platform from where India would look to bat the Islanders out of the contest.
Ending the day at a comfortable 312 for two, the hosts are 107 runs ahead of Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 205.
Playing his first Test match after eight months, Vijay increased the ‘happy headache’ of the team management as they will be spoilt for choice during the third Test match in Delhi and more importantly, the Test series in South Africa. With his compact technique, the Tamil Nadu opener is certainly going to have a headstart over his nearest rivals KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan.
Pujara, who scored his 14th century has skipper Virat Kohli (54 bating, 70b, 6×4) for company. Kohli is looking good for a big one on the third day and surely would be playing a more attacking role than Pujara.
With the pitch not offering any assistance to the bowlers, Sri Lankan attack looked pedestrian as the seasoned Indian duo scored runs easily without taking any undue risks.
The Pujara-Vijay combination has been a nemesis for bowlers in the Indian sub-continent. Vijay was dismissed while trying to sweep Rangana Herath (1/45), but Pujara batted through the whole day.
Vijay teed off with a glorious square drive off Eden Test hero Suranga Lakmal (0/58), who was far from his best with conditions not aiding his kind of bowling.
There was a lot of time at India’s disposal and that’s why the batsmen were in no hurry yet comfortably got their runs. The home team scored at a steady if not breakneck pace but always had control of the proceedings with the three seasons yielding 301 runs in 90 overs.
The acceleration in the final session was largely due to skipper Kohli’s flurry of shots. Dinesh Chandimal’s decision to bring in his spinners hardly yielded any different result as both looked comfortable reaching to the pitch of the deliveries nullifying any help that they could have possibly got off the pitch.
press trust of india
