Lokesh Rahul hit a century as India overcame early shocks to post 319-6 on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Thursday. Rahul scored 108, his second Test century in four Tests, and shared a third-wicket stand of 164 with skipper Virat Kohli (78) after the tourists had slumped to 12-2 by the fifth over of the match.
Both batsmen fell on either side of the tea break, but Rohit Sharma boosted the total with a typically aggressive 79 that contained three sixes and five boundaries.
Sharma was leg-before to Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews off what became the last ball of the day, leaving Wriddhiman Saha unbeaten on 19. The 23-year-old Rahul, who hit a century against Australia in Sydney in only his second Test earlier this year, made amends for scores of seven and five in the first Test with delightful strokeplay.
Dropped at gully by Jehan Mubarak off Dushmantha Chameera when he was on 11, Rahul hit 13 boundaries and a six before a loose shot cost him his wicket after tea.
Rahul top-edged a hook off Chameera and the ball ballooned in the air before landing safely in the hands of wicket-keeper Dinesh Chandimal. "I didn't get runs in the first Test, so to come here and play the way I did was very satisfying. But honestly, I should have done a lot better after getting a good start."
Some 6,000 home fans at the P. Sara Oval applauded warmly when Sri Lanka's batting great Kumar Sangakkara was welcomed on to the field in his last Test with a guard of honour by young children holding raised bats.
India, seeking a series-levelling win after losing the first Test in Galle by 63 runs, were in for a rude shock after Kohli won the toss and elected to bat on a moisture-laden pitch. Opener Murali Vijay, who replaced the injured Shikhar Dhawan in one of the three changes made by India, was trapped leg-before by Dhammika Prasad off the fourth ball of the innings, before he had scored.
Prasad struck again in his third over when Ajinkya Rahane drove at a wide ball and edged an easy catch to Dimuth Karunaratne at third slip.
But Rahul and Kohli settled in to deny Sri Lanka another wicket till late in the afternoon session when the captain departed against the run of play.
Prasad, who was man of the match against Pakistan at the same venue in June, said he enjoyed bowling at the P. Sara Oval.
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Scoreboard India 1st innings:
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M. Vijay lbw b Prasad 0
L. Rahul c Chandimal b Chameera 108
A. Rahane c Karunaratne b Prasad 4
V. Kohli c Mathews b Herath 78
R. Sharma lbw b Mathews 79
S. Binny c Chameera b Herath 10
W. Saha not out 19
Extras: (b8, lb8, w2, nb3) 21
Total: (for six wickets, 87.2 overs) 319
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Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Vijay), 2-12 (Rahane), 3-176 (Kohli), 4-231 (Rahul), 5-267 (Binny), 6-319 (R. Sharma).
Bowling: Prasad 20-5-72-2 (w1), Mathews 10.2-4-17-1, Chameera 13-0-59-1 (nb2, w1), Herath 21-2-73-2, Kaushal 23-2-82-0 (nb1).
Toss: India
Umpires: Bruce Oxenford (AUS) and Rod Tucker (AUS)
TV umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM).
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