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PHOTOS: Bowlers give India the upper hand on Day 1

Last updated on: November 24, 2017 17:28 IST

Images from Day 1 of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka in Nagpur on Friday.

IMAGE: India's players celebrate the wicket of Dasun Shanaka. Photograph: BCCI

Bowlers gave India the upper hand as Sri Lanka were bowled out for a below-par 205 in their first innings against India after opting to bat on the first day of the second Test in Nagpur on Friday.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the most successful bowler for the hosts with four for 67. Paceman Ishant Sharma and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja picked up three wickets apiece.

 

Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal top-scored for the tourists with 57, while opener Dimuth Karunaratne made 51.

In reply, India lost KL Rahul (7) early as they reached 11 for one at stumps on the opening day.

IMAGE: Lahiru Thirimanne is bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin. Photograph: BCCI

Earlier, Karunaratne compiled a chance-filled fifty but India's bowlers kept chipping away at the wickets.

The visitors, who succumbed by a 9-0 margin across all formats at home against India earlier this year, did not get off to a great start when Sadeera Samarawickrama and Lahiru Thirimanne both fell cheaply on a greenish wicket before lunch.

Dimuth Karunaratne

IMAGE: Dimuth Karunaratne bats. Photograph: BCCI

The breakthrough came when Cheteshwar Pujara took a brilliant low catch at first slip to send back Samarawickrama for 13 after the batsman got a thick edge to a delivery from paceman Ishant Sharma.

The other wicket to fall in the morning saw Thirimanne perish when he attempted a rash sweep shot off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and was bowled for nine.

Pujara was, however, guilty of putting down Karunaratne on 15 when the ball burst through his hands after the batsman had advanced down the pitch to Ashwin and played a lofted on-drive.

IMAGE: Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli celebrate the wicket of Angelo Mathews. Photograph: BCCI

The left-handed batsman survived another scare on 21 when replays showed left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja had no-balled after wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha had expertly whipped off the bails with the batsman out of his crease.

Sri Lanka, who were unchanged from the drawn first Test in Kolkata, were soon reduced to 60-3 after the break when they lost former captain Angelo Mathews leg before to Jadeja for 10.

However, Karunaratne and Chandimal added 62 for the fourth wicket to steady the innings before Ishant finally dismissed the former leg before, but not before the left-handed batsman had scored his 14th half-century in Tests.

Ishant Sharma

IMAGE: Ishant Sharma successfully appeals for the wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne. Photograph: BCCI

The hosts made three changes to the side from Kolkata with the experienced Ishant replacing Mohammed Shami, who missed out due to a niggle in his left hip.

Murali Vijay returned at the top of the batting order after opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan opted out of the match for personal reasons.

The final change saw batsman Rohit Sharma included for his first test in more than a year after he replaced seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who withdrew from the final two matches of the series to get married.

Source: REUTERS
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