Colombo, Aug 24 (PTI) Dhruv Jurel’s remarkably composed unbeaten 95 helped India reach 475 for eight at tea on day two of the second and final Test against Sri Lanka here on Monday.
Jurel was batting with Mohammed Siraj, who is yet to open his account when the tea was taken early because of rain.
The middle session, in fact, did not start well for India as they lost Rishabh Pant (63) immediately upon the resumption.
Pant, who added 112 runs for the sixth wicket with Jurel, uppishly drove Keshara Nuwantha to Lahiru Udara at the perimeter of the circle, abruptly cutting short his stay.
Jurel was on 59 then, but found an equally hard-minded partner in Manav Suthar (18) with whom he added 54 runs for the eighth wicket.
The knock of Jurel might have pleased the management immensely as this was his second fifty in as many Tests after going without a 50-plus score in eight innings prior to the first Test in Galle.
Suthar was eventually dismissed by left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who elicited a thick edge to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella.
Earlier, Pant’s gallant fight against Sri Lankan pacers was the highlight of an engrossing first session.
Sri Lanka found an immediate breakthrough as Asitha Fernando jettisoned debutant Saransh Jain for six. India were 307 for six then and also in need of some more runs to pull away from the hosts.
Pant, who had to retire on three last evening after copping a blow on his forearm from Lahiru Kumara, walked in next, and there was a tinge of apprehension about his fitness.
But he allayed a lot of concerns — about him and about the team’s position — during his near two-hour stay at the crease, batting with confidence and little discomfort.
The eventual runs against his name might look good, but the Pant had to dig deep to reach that mark.
Pacers Fernando and Kumara targeted his body with a bouncer barrage, and the former even managed to ping on his shoulder once.
However, Pant was equal to the task, either moving away from the line or nudging the ball around.
There was an explosive moment too, when the left-hander got inside the line to hook Kumara over fine leg for a six.
Pant, who made a 66 in the second innings at Galle, reached his fifty in 81 balls with a pulled four off off-spinner Nuwantha, whom he had earlier punished for two fours in a row.
The wicketkeeper batter celebrated the moment with a thundering maximum off Jayasuriya.
On the other hand, Jurel, who reached fifty in 97 balls, was solid and the lone anxious moment came when Jayasuriya went for a loud leg before appeal after going past his outstretched bat with an arm ball. But he soon discovered flow and solidity. PTI UNG BS BS
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