GALLE, July 27: Bowlers put their foot on the pedal after a flamboyant innings from debutant Hardik Pandya enabling India to be in firm control of the proceedings in the first Test against Sri Lanka here.
At stumps on the second day, Sri Lanka were struggling at 154 for 5 after Pandya�s 49-ball-50 helped the visitors reach a mammoth first innings score of 600. Shikhar Dhawan with 190 and Cheteshwar Pujara�s 153 were the cornerstone of the gigantic total. Sri Lanka need another 246 runs to avoid the follow-on with former skipper Angelo Mathews batting on 54.
Mohammed Shami (2/30) had an impressive comeback to Test arena while Umesh Yadav (1/50 in 8 overs) was erratic and unable to hit the right length. Ravichandran Ashwin (1/49 in 18 overs) was economical and Abhinav Mukund�s alertness in the field contributed to a run-out.
The Lankan slide started with opener Dimuth Karunaratne (2) being trapped leg before by Yadav in the second over of the Lankan innings and the batsman wasted a DRS review in a bid to reverse the decision.
The Indian team upped the ante in the final session where they got four wickets. Post tea break, Shami got reward for hitting the right length.
First Shami accounted for Danushka Gunathilaka (16) in the 15th over and then four balls later, he sent back Kusal Mendis (0), with both batsmen caught at first slip by Shikhar Dhawan.
Veteran opener Upul Tharanga (64 runs, 93 balls, 10 fours) stroked his way to an attacking eighth Test half-century.
He reached 50 in 44 balls, which included 10 fours, and put on 61 runs for the second wicket with Gunathilaka before the latter was out caught.
Afterwards, he put on another 57 runs for the fourth wicket with Mathews (54 batting, 91 balls, 8x4) as the duo battled hard against Ashwin.
Scoring at a steady rate, the hosts reached 100 in the 25th over. Shortly afterwards, Tharanga was run-out as his bat was found hanging in the air and Mukund stationed at silly point showed smartness to hit the stumps, effecting a run-out.
Mukund�s sharp reflexes helped India get another wicket as he held on to a fine one-handed catch at silly point again to give Ashwin his first wicket of the match. Niroshan Dickwella (8) being the batsman.
Earlier Pandya�s rollicking innings consisted of five fours and three huge sixes which was the difference between a score of 550 and 600. He added only 14 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (15) after lunch before the latter was clean bowled by Nuwan Pradeep (6-132). Pandya was dropped at first slip off Rangana Herath (1-159) when he was batting on 4. But thereafter, he did not give any chances to the opposition, unleashing his full array of strokes as he stormed to his half-century.
Shami (30) gave him optimal company and the duo put on 62 runs for the 8th wicket as they attacked the Lankan bowling. The latter fell to Lahiru Kumara (3-131) but not before making sure India built on their commanding position.
Pandya was the last man out, after he reached his maiden Test half-century off 48 balls, while also bringing up India�s 600 in the 134th over as well.
SCORECARD
India 1st Innings (overnight 399-3 in 90 overs): Shikhar Dhawan c Mathews b N Pradeep 190, Abhinav Mukund c Dickwella b N Pradeep 12, Cheteshwar Pujara c Dickwella b Pradeep 153, Virat Kohli c Dickwella b N Pradeep 3, Ajinkya Rahane c Karunaratne b Kumara 57, Ravichandran Ashwin c Dickwella b Pradeep 47, Wriddhiman Saha c Perera b Herath 16, Hardik Pandya c sub (de Silva) b Kumara 50, Ravindra Jadeja b Pradeep 15, Mohammed Sami c Tharanga b Kumara 30, Umesh Yadav not out 11. Extras: (B-2, W-6, NB-3, LB-5) 16. Total: (For 7 wkts in 117 overs) 600. Fall of Wickets: 27-1, 280-2, 286-3, 4-423, 5-432, 6-491, 7-495, 8-517, 9-579, 10-600. Bowler: Nuwan Pradeep 31-2-132-6, Lahiru Kumara 25-3-131-3, Dilruwan Perera 30-1-130-0, Rangana Herath 40-6-159-1, Danushka Gunathilaka 7-0-41-0.
Sri Lanka 1st Innings: Dimuth Karunaratne lbw b Yadav 2, Upul Tharanga run out 64, Danushka Gunathilaka c Dhawan b Shami 16, Kusal Mendis c Dhawan b Shami 0, Angelo Mathews batting 54, Niroshan Dickwella c Mukund b Ashwin 8, Dilruwan Perera batting 6. Extras: (W-1 LB-3) 4. Total: (For 5 wkts in 44 overs) 154. Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-68, 3-68, 4-125, 5-143. Bowling: Mohammed Shami 9-2-30-2, Umesh Yadav 8-1-50-1, Ravichandran Ashwin 18-2-49-1, Ravindra Jadeja 9-1-22-0. � PTI
