India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Day 2 Devdutt Padikkal’s 167 headlined a rain-interrupted second day at Galle International Stadium. As India closed on 460/9 in the first Test against Sri Lanka. Padikkal built on his overnight century before finally falling in the afternoon, while KL Rahul returned from a Day 1 injury scare to add a defiant 82 further down the order.
Rain wiped out the first one-and-a-half sessions on Day 2, leaving just 43 overs for play once the covers finally came off. Despite the lost time, India still added 172 runs to their overnight score of 288/2, reaching 460/9 by the close. Left-arm spinner Keshara Nuwantha, on Test debut for Sri Lanka, was the standout with the ball once the second new ball was taken. Removing both Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul in the final session. Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav was unbeaten on 12 when bad light and the scheduled close ended play.
Devdutt Padikkal resumed the day unbeaten on 131 and simply carried on where he left off, extending his maiden Test century into a commanding 167 off 230 balls. His innings finally ended when he was brilliantly stumped off Prabath Jayasuriya. Padikkal came down the track too early against a quick, flat delivery outside off. And wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella whipped off the bails in a flash. The left-hander walked off to a standing ovation from the Galle crowd and warm applause from his own dressing room after a genuinely special knock.
It capped a remarkable match for the Karnataka batter, who was drafted into India’s middle order after Sai Sudharsan’s injury. Repaid the faith with a maiden hundred followed by a score in excess of 150.
KL Rahul’s Day 2 was a story of its own. He had retired hurt on 77 the previous evening after severe cramps in both forearms left him barely able to hold his bat, forcing him to be helped off the ground by India’s team physio. Rahul returned to the crease on Day 2 and pushed his way to 82 before Nuwantha found sharp turn and bounce to draw an edge through to short leg. It was a battling effort from the senior batter, whose 150-run second-wicket stand with Padikkal on Day 1 had laid the platform for India’s big total.
Sri Lanka fought back hard in a lively afternoon session, claiming three quick wickets once play resumed after the rain delay. Rishabh Pant, initially cautious alongside Padikkal against a tighter Sri Lankan attack. Fell for 39 attempting to go over the top against Nuwantha, holing out to mid-off. Between Padikkal’s dismissal, Rahul’s exit and Pant’s departure, India lost the batting momentum they had built through the first two sessions. Though the tail wagged just enough to push the total past 460.
Prabath Jayasuriya continued to be Sri Lanka’s most reliable threat with the ball, eventually accounting for Padikkal’s prized wicket with his flight and change of pace. But it was debutant Keshara Nuwantha who made the bigger impact once the second new ball was taken. Picking up both Pant and Rahul in quick succession to briefly put India under real pressure. Sri Lanka’s spinners kept things tight for large stretches of the shortened day, a promising sign for the hosts on a Galle surface that has already shown signs of turn.
With India sitting on 460/9, the remainder of the innings should be brief on the third morning before Sri Lanka gets its turn to bat. Given the turn already on offer for Sri Lanka’s spinners, and India’s own strong spin attack led by Kuldeep Yadav, the surface at Galle is likely to play an increasingly significant role as the Test progresses. We’ll have full coverage as play resumes.
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