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29 March 2024

India vs Lanka 3rd Test Day 2: Pujara ton lifts India to 292-8

Published
By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies

Cheteshwar Pujara recorded his seventh hundred and held India's innings together against an inspired spell of fast bowling by Dhammika Prasad on the second day of the third and final test against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Pujara, playing his first test since the Boxing Day match against Australia in December, remained unbeaten on 135 and guided India to 292 for eight wickets before rain brought an early close to the day's play.

Ishant Sharma (two) was not out at the other end.

Resuming on 50-2, the visitors lost captain Virat Kohli (18) early but Pujara and Rohit Sharma (26) added 55 for the fourth wicket to prop up the Indian innings in the deciding match of the series, tied at 1-1.

Rohit, who has recently been preferred to Pujara in the test team, fell in the last over before the lunch break, edging Prasad to Upul Tharanga at first slip.

After a rain-hit opening day when just 15 overs of play was possible, Sri Lanka came back strongly in the morning session with Prasad troubling the batsmen on numerous occasions.

India's scoring opportunities soon dried up and captain Angelo Mathews benefited from the build-up of pressure when Kohli edged behind to give debutant wicketkeeper Kusal Perera, who had dropped the batsman on Friday, his first test catch.

Pujara and Kohli added 50 for their third-wicket stand.

Pujara, forced to bat at the top due to injuries to regular openers, looked solid in defence but failed to rotate the strike and only found his scoring touch when Mathews introduced off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal into the attack.

The right-handed batsman hit Kaushal for three successive boundaries and the runs started flowing for him after that. The 27-year-old reached triple figures with a tight single off spinner Rangana Herath.

After finding Rohit's edge with the last ball before lunch, Prasad picked up all-rounder Stuart Binny with the first delivery of the second session to be on a hat-trick, which was staved off by Pujara.

Debutant wicketkeeper Naman Ojha (21) then added 54 with Pujara for the sixth wicket before playing a rash shot against Kaushal to hole out at long on.

Ravichandran Ashwin became Prasad's fourth victim, reducing India to 180-7 but Pujara continued to thwart the hosts, adding 104 in an eighth wicket stand with Amit Mishra (59).

Legspinner Mishra looked completely at ease against both the seamers and the spinners and notched up his third test fifty to demoralise the Sri Lankan bowlers.

Mishra was finally out stumped to Herath when he danced down the wicket but only managed an inside edge onto his pads with the ball trickling to the wicketkeeper.

Play has been called off for the day because of a wet outifield caused by the burst of rain with India 292-8 in 95.3 overs.

Rain has stopped play with India 292-8 in 95.3 overs.

Pujara is unbeaten on 135 and Ishant Sharma is with him on 2.

Herath finally breaks the partnership with Mishra being stumped despite getting an inside ege. Ind 284-8, 92.2 overs.

Amit Mishra st Perera b Herath 59 (87b 7x4 0x6)

Pujara and Mishra have added 100 runs in 157 balls for the eighth wicket. Ind 280-7.

Mishra gives Pradeep the charges and slams him through extra cover to bring up his third Test fifty. Ind 268-7.

Mishra square cuts Pradeep to the fence to the bring up 50 partnership with Pujara. Ind 233-7.

Sri Lanka have taken the second new ball with India 228-7 after 80 overs.

Tea

Cheteshwar Pujara recorded his seventh hundred and held India's innings together against an inspired spell of fast bowling by Dhammika Prasad on the second day of the third and final test against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Pujara, playing his first test since the Boxing Day match against Australia in December, remained unbeaten on 101 after guiding India to 220 for seven wickets at tea.

Resuming on 50-2, the visitors lost captain Virat Kohli (18) early but Pujara and Rohit Sharma (26) added 55 for the fourth wicket to prop up the Indian innings in the deciding match of the series, tied at 1-1.

Rohit, who has recently been preferred to Pujara in the test team, fell in the last over before the lunch break, edging Prasad to Upul Tharanga at first slip.

After a rain-hit opening day when just 15 overs of play was possible, Sri Lanka came back strongly in the morning session with Prasad troubling the batsmen on numerous occasions.

India's scoring opportunities soon dried up and captain Angelo Mathews benefited from the build-up of pressure when Kohli edged behind to give debutant wicketkeeper Kusal Perera, who had dropped the batsman on Friday, his first test catch.

Pujara and Kohli added 50 for their third-wicket stand.

Pujara, forced to bat at the top due to injuries to regular openers, looked solid in defence but failed to rotate the strike and only found his scoring touch when Mathews introduced off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal into the attack.

The right-handed batsman hit Kaushal for three successive boundaries and the runs started flowing for him after that. The 27-year-old reached triple figures with a tight single off spinner Rangana Herath.

Rohit's 26 was the second highest score for India and it was mostly due to Prasad, who has already taken four wickets in the innings.

After finding Rohit's edge with the last ball before lunch, Prasad picked up all-rounder Stuart Binny with the first delivery of the second session to be on a hat-trick, which was staved off by Pujara.

Debutant wicketkeeper Naman Ojha (21) then added 54 with Pujara for the sixth wicket before playing a rash shot against Kaushal to hole out at long on.

Ravichandran Ashwin became Prasad's fourth victim, reducing India to 180-7 but Pujara continued to thwart the hosts, adding 40 in an unbroken eighth wicket stand with Amit Mishra (24).

Pujara completes his seventh Test century by scrambling a single off Herath. Ind 217-7.

Prasad strikes on his return finding the edge of Ashwin to claim his fourth. Ind 180-7, 65.1 overs.

Ravichandran Ashwin c Perera b Prasad 5 (14b 1x4 0x6)

Kaushal strikes with Ojha smashing him straight down the throat of Tharanga at long-on. Ind 173-6, 61 overs.

Naman Ojha c Tharanga b Kaushal 21 (54b 3x4 0x6)


Ojha hits his first boundary pushing Prasad through gully. Ind 133-5.

Prasad is on a hat-trick striking with the first ball after lunch trapping Binny leg before for a duck. Ind 119-5, 46 overs.

Stuart Binny lbw b Prasad 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Lunch

Comeback man Cheteshwar Pujara recorded his seventh half-century as India made slow progress to reach 119 for four wickets at lunch on the second day of the third and final test against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Resuming on 50-2, the visitors lost captain Virat Kohli (18) early but Pujara (55 not out) and Rohit Sharma (26) added 55 for the fourth wicket to prop up the Indian innings in the deciding match of the series, tied at 1-1.

Rohit, who has recently been preferred to Pujara in the test team, fell in the last over before the break, edging paceman Dhammika Prasad to Upul Tharanga at first slip.

After a rain-hit opening day when just 15 overs of play was possible, Sri Lanka came back strongly with Prasad troubling the batsmen on numerous occasions.

India's scoring opportunities soon dried up and captain Angelo Mathews benefited from the build-up of pressure when Kohli edged behind to give debutant wicketkeeper Kusal Perera, who had dropped the batsman on Friday, his first test catch.

Pujara, playing his first test since the Boxing Day match against Australia in December, and Kohli added 50 for their third-wicket stand.

The right-handed Pujara looked solid in defence but failed to rotate the strike and only found his scoring touch when Mathews introduced off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal into the attack.

He hit Kaushal for three consecutive boundaries and then completed his fifty with a pull shot for a single to mid-wicket.

India looked set to go to the break for just the loss of Kohli in the morning session but Prasad's inspired spell garnered another breakthrough when he found Rohit's edge with the interval looming.

Prasad strikes again on the stroke of lunch inducing an edge from Rohit to be caught at slip. Ind 119-4, 45.5 overs.

Rohit Sharma c Tharanga b Prasad 26 (65b 3x4 1x6)

Pujara completes his seventh Test half century on his return to the Test side. Ind 113-3.

Pujara gets into the act cracking three consecutive boundaries off Kaushal. Ind 103-3, 40.3 overs.

Rohit steps out and attacks Herath slamming back over his head for a six. Ind 81-3.

Rohit hits his first boundary lofting Pradeep over mid-on. Ind 69-3.

Mathews strikes removing his opposite number who flashes at a widish ball to become Kusal Perera's first victim. Ind 64-3, 23.3 overs.

Virat Kohli c Kusal Perera b Mathews 18 (60b 3x4 0x6)


Kohli hits the first boundary of the morning edging Prasad past point. Ind 55-2.

Kohli survives a confident appeal for leg before off Prasad in the first over of the day. Ind 50-2.

India lost two quick wickets to reach 50-2 before rain washed out the rest of the opening day of the third and final test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Friday.

Only 15 overs of play were possible in the entire day as the umpires made multiple inspections to check for a restart but called stumps about an hour after the official tea break.

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews was rewarded by his fast bowlers with the wickets of opener Lokesh Rahul (two) and in-form batsman Ajinkya Rahane (eight) after he opted to bowl on a pitch sporting a covering of grass.

India captain Virat Kohli (14) survived some nervy moments to stay unbeaten with Cheteshwar Pujara (19) when heavy rain forced the players off the ground for an early lunch break.