{
    "id": "29239",
    "author": "13",
    "cnmid": "0",
    "title": "Dhawan, Pujara centuries take India to 399\/3 at stumps vs Sri Lanka ",
    "lang": "en",
    "series": "171",
    "cup_year": "2017",
    "article_type": "General",
    "excerpt": "",
    "subtype": "",
    "editor1": "<p>Galle, July 26 (CRICKETNMORE) -&nbsp;Centuries from opener Shikhar Dhawan (190) and one-down Cheteshwar Pujara (144 not out) helped India reach 399\/3 at stumps on the opening day of the first of the three-Test cricket series against Sri Lanka here on Wednesday.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nElecting to bat at the Galle International Stadium, India rode on a 253-run second wicket effort between a blazing Dhawan and a steady Pujara to surpass the highest ever first day&#39;s total of 351 runs in Sri Lanka.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nLater, Pujara, who notched his 12th Test century, and Ajinkya Rahane (39 not out) put on an unbeaten 113-run fourth-wicket stand to take the visitors to their second ever highest opening day&#39;s total -- the highest being 417\/2 in the 2009-10 home series against Sri Lanka.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/india-399-3-at-stumps-on-day-one-against-sl-in-first-test--29235\">Day 1 Full Scorecard<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"page-break-after: always\"><span style=\"display: none;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>Dhawan smashed the rather ordinary Sri Lankan bowling all around the ground, racing to 190 runs off 168 deliveries with 31 boundaries studding his hurricane innings.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nThe 31-year-old Dhawan, who got into the 16-member squad as Murali Vijay was injured, registered his fifth century in Test cricket -- a perfect way to send a message to the selectors. It was also his highest score in the five-day format.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nHis opening partner, Abhinav Mukund (12), who got into the playing XI due to Lokesh Rahul&#39;s illness, however, couldn&#39;t impress the selectors.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nMukund struggled a bit, hitting only two boundaries off pacer Lahiru Kumara during his 26-ball stay in the middle. But the left-hander virtually gifted his wicket to Nuwan Pradeep when he decided to go after a ball which moved away slightly after pitching.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nPujara joined Dhawan and enjoyed some early luck when he edged Pradeep off the second ball he faced but the ball went for a boundary after landing wide of the slip cordon.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nDhawan however, continued to display excellent form at the other end, finding the fence at regular intervals.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nPujara soon settled his nerves and gave Dhawan excellent support at the other end as the former collected runs very quickly and registered his century after the lunch break.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nEqually aggressive against the spinners, the Delhi batsman further dominated the Sri Lankan bowling after reaching the three-figure mark.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nDhawan finally fell when he tried to smash a Pradeep delivery over mid-off but mistimed his shot and Angelo Mathews pulled off an easy catch in the first ball of the 55th over.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nJust after the 10-minute tea break, India suffered a big blow when captain Virat Kohli was caught by wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella, attempting to pull a bouncer from Pradeep, with India at 286\/3.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nPujara, who was batting on 77 then, was joined by Rahane and the pair played some sedate cricket.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nPujara and Rahane took ones and twos as the Sri Lankans stepped up the pressure with their confidence boosted by Kohli&#39;s wicket.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nPujara broke the dry patch by despatching veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for two fours in the 66th over. And in the fifth ball of the next over, a drive towards mid-on off Kumara gave him a two to complete his hundred in 173 deliveries.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nBy that time, Rahane too had a grip on the conditions and he was looking good at 39 not out from 94 deliveries at the end of the day&#39;s play, with Pujara unbeaten on 144 as India look strong for a huge total on the second day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<p>IANS<\/p>\r\n",
    "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2017\/07\/pujara-rahane.jpg",
    "alt_img": "Pujara-Rahane",
    "alt_title": "India vs SL",
    "image1": "",
    "video": "",
    "seo_title": "Dhawan, Pujara centuries take India to 399\/3 at stumps vs Sri Lanka ",
    "seo_desc": "Dhawan, Pujara centuries take India to 399\/3 at stumps vs Sri Lanka ",
    "seo_keywords": "Cheteshwar Pujara",
    "tag": "",
    "tagging": "",
    "status": "1",
    "img_rpt": "0",
    "google": "0",
    "standout": "0",
    "edapps": "0",
    "pulse": "0",
    "no_index": "0",
    "feed": "0",
    "fixture": "0",
    "slug": "dhawan-pujara-centuries-take-india-to-399-3-at-stumps-vs-sri-lanka-",
    "user_id": "0",
    "read_count": "0",
    "ians_date": "0000-00-00",
    "ians_time": "00:00:00",
    "server_time": "0000-00-00 00:00:00",
    "trash": "0",
    "view_count": "4042",
    "page_break": "0",
    "instant_articles": "0",
    "auto_link": "0",
    "created": "2017-07-26 19:38:00",
    "updated": "2017-07-26 19:38:00",
    "img_from": "",
    "img_source": "",
    "schedule_publish": "0000-00-00 00:00:00",
    "news_keywords": null,
    "livescore_text": null,
    "livescore_link": null,
    "btn_text": null,
    "resend_feed": "0",
    "google_feed": "0",
    "read_more": "0",
    "posted_by": "1",
    "jio_date": "2017-07-26 19:38:00",
    "scheduled": "0",
    "news_now": "1",
    "breaking_news": "0",
    "google_date": "2017-07-26 19:38:00",
    "featured": "0",
    "pred_match_id": null,
    "article_content_type": null,
    "england_cricket": "0",
    "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/dhawan-pujara-centuries-take-india-to-399-3-at-stumps-vs-sri-lanka-29239"
}