On the first day of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka, Indian captain Virat Kohli had won the toss and opted to bat first. Abhinav Mukund played in place of KL Rahul who was down with flu. Hardik Pandya also made his debut for India. In a setback for Sri Lanka, Asela Gunaratne was injured and would not be part of this first Test. Sri Lanka will be one batsman short for the first Test.
Day 1
Shikhar Dhawan feels at home in the Galle International Stadium. His second hundred at the venue, exhibited fluidity much like the festooned kite flown by a tourist from the nearby fort.
The opener’s 190 (168b, 31x4), his fifth Test ton, was a walk in the park, when compared to his relatively workman-like 134 off 271 deliveries here in 2015. A placid pitch, a largely pedestrian Sri Lankan attack and a slice of luck when he was dropped on 31, by Asela Gunaratne at second slip when he edged Lahiru Kumara, meant that Dhawan could not be denied his moment under the sun.
The southpaw’s superb effort and his 253-run second-wicket partnership off 280 balls, with fellow-centurion Cheteshwar Pujara (144 batting, 246b, 12x4), set India on a strong base in the first Test that commenced here on Wednesday.