IND v SL: Jadeja Shines As India Dominates Day 2, Sri Lanka Score 108/4

Cricket Image for IND v SL: Jadeja Shines As India Dominates Day 2, Sri Lanka Score 108/4 (Image Source: Twitter)

India vs Sri Lanka: Ravindra Jadeja starred as India dominated the second day of the 1st test match against Sri Lanka at Mohali's PCA Stadium. 

The day began with a minute of silence as both teams paid their respects to Shane Warne and Rodney Marsh - the two Australians who died yesterday. 

Jadeja and R Ashwin continued from where they left last evening - defending, rotating strike, and not letting Sri Lankan bowlers settle. To add salt to the wounds, the visitors were without the services of Lahiru Kumara, who was ruled out of the Test series due to a hamstring injury. 

Ashwin and Jadeja kept playing the bowlers with ease and nothing really happened to excite the Sri Lankans for the most part of the session. 

Ashwin looked in complete control but was finally removed by Suranga Lakmal on 61 just 10 minutes before the lunch. Jadeja, soon, got to his hundred - his second in test cricket. 

Jadeja continued to dominate the Sri Lankan bowlers and got good support from Mohammad Shami as the duo added 103 in 94 balls for the ninth wicket. Jadeja reached his first 150 of test career and was looking set to score a double hundred. 

However, the Indian team management decided to declare the inning after playing out 129 overs and Jadeja was left stranded at 175. 

Sri Lankan batters began strongly in their chase to 574 runs with Lahiru Thirimanne and Dimuth Karunaratne playing out the first 18 overs. It was Ashwin who got India the much-needed breakthrough in the form of Thirmanne for 17 runs. 

Soon, Karunaratne was struck in front by Jadeja for 28. Angelo Mathews and Pathum Nissanka restricted India from blowing away the batting lineup with their 37-run stand in 62 balls. 

But Mathews misjudged the pace of Jasprit Bumrah's delivery and got trapped LBW for 22. India once again pounced on the opportunity to get Dhananjaya de Silva out for one. 

Charith Asalanka survived an LBW call and helped Nissanka in closing out the day safely. Sri Lanka is currently 466 runs away from India's total. 

Brief Scorecard: 

India - 574/8 in 129.2 overs 
Sri Lanka - 108/4 in 43 overs