Colombo: Cheteshwar Pujara couldn’t have hoped for a better opening day to his 50th Test appearance at the SSC ground here Thursday. The Saurashtra batsman got his 13th Test hundred, crossed 4,000 runs in the process and was also nominated for the Arjuna Award.
Riding on Pujara’s (128 n o, 225, 10×4, 1×6) and Ajinkya Rahane’s (103 n o, 168b, 12×4), India powered on to 344 for the loss of three wickets when stumps were called on day one of the second Test here. On a pitch that at times challenged the batsmen, it was indeed batting at its very best as the Indians manouvred the ball beautifully to take their team to a commanding position.
Sri Lanka selected a spin-heavy team with the hope that they would win the toss. But then they lost it and Virat Kohli could not hide his smile as he promptly decided to bat. And for a brief period after lunch, around 10 overs, when KL Rahul (57, 82b, 7×4) was run out and Kohli himself was dismissed by a stunning slip catch by Angelo Mathews off Rangana Herath (1/83), the Indian batters called the shots.
None so better than Puajara or Rahane during the unbeaten fourth wicket stand of 211 runs. Just when Sri Lanka looked poised to make a comeback into the game after lunch, the two first frustrated the bowlers and then simply hit them to all parts of the ground to establish their dominance.
Rahane was quick to go back to anything slightly short, whipping the ball through mid-wicket, when it was tossed he was ready to dance down the track. Pujara also grew in confidence as the game progressed. He got his first 14 runs off 78 balls, his next 114 came off the next 127 deliveries, a testimony to how he blossomed as the day progressed.
Sri Lankan spinners, however, were however, the ones to blame. On a pitch, which offered some turn and bounce, they struggled to hit the right length. India managed to hit 36 fours and two over the ropes during the day, but more importantly, they ran their ones and twos very well to keep the scoreboard ticking and as things stand now a 500-plus score looks a distinct possibility. If that happens, Sri Lanka will be batted out of the game, because with each passing day the pitch will become more and more difficult to bat on.
Rahul could have also got a century, the way he was batting before a horrible mix up with Pujara had him short at the striker’s end. But Pujara did not allow that to bother him and continued to accumulate runs quietly. A cover drive, even when beaten by the drift produced by offie Dilruwan Perera (1/68), being the standout shot of his innings. It was batsmanship at its highest and Pujara demonstrated it amply as he notched up his second century of the series.
Classy and effective – that’s how Pujara and Rahane took Sri Lanka apart, a body blow from which the hosts will find it difficult to recover.
