India Vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Day 1: Dhawan, Pujara lead India's carnage on opening day
Blistering centuries from Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara helped India attain a strong position on the very first day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium on Wednesday.
Electing to bat on a surface which promised to be full of runs, India lost opener Abhinav Mukund early, but Dhawan and Pujara kept the Lankan attack at bay with a monstrous 253-run stand second-wicket partnership.
Dhawan, who was included in the Test squad in place of regular opener Murali Vijay, reminded everyone of his debut knock as he wreaked havoc on the Lankan bowlers.
The left-handed batsman, during the course of 168 ball-knock, struck 31 stylish fours. The Delhi lad however fell short of his maiden double ton in Tests as he got out at the stroke of Tea on his individual score of 190. It was Dhawan's fifth Test ton overall.
India then lost the wicket of skipper Virat Kohli and Sri Lanka thought of making inroads. However, Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane then put up a 113-run unbeaten partnership and helped India finish the day at 399-3.
At Stumps, both Pujara and Rahane were batting on 144* and 39* respectively.
For the hosts, Nuwan Pradeep was the lone wicket-taker as he scalped all three wickets. Injury woes continued for the hosts as middle-order batsman Asela Gunaratne was ruled out of the match with a fractured thumb, after he dropped a catch of Dhawan.
Pujara has once again been the difference for the number one ranked side as he ensured they did not lose sight of the job on hand.
This is the second highest total that India have posted in a single day of a Test in their history, while it was their highest total in away Tests.
-ANI
Highlights:
04:00 pm: IND 319/3 (67 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 104 (175)
Ajinkya Rahane: 5 (30)
03:50 pm: IND 304/3 (65 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 89 (162)
Ajinkya Rahane: 4 (29)
03:45 pm: IND 301/3 (64 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 88 (160)
Ajinkya Rahane: 3 (25)
03:32 pm: IND 298/3 (61 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 85 (151)
Ajinkya Rahane: 3 (16)
03:25 pm: IND 294/3 (59 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 84 (150)
Ajinkya Rahane: 0 (5)
03:16 pm: WICKET! Virat Kohli out on 3 runs
IND 286/3 (56.4 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 77 (140)
02:45 pm: IND 282/2 at tea (55 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 75 (135)
Virat Kohli: 1 (3)
02:41 pm: Wicket! Shikhar Dhawan out on 190
IND 280/2 (54.1 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 74 (133)
Virat Kohli: 0
02:38 pm: IND 280/1 (54 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 74 (133)
Shikhar Dhawan: 190 (167)
01:51 pm: IND 202/1 (41.2 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 59 (92)
Shikhar Dhawan: 127 (132)
01:35 pm: IND 185/1 (39 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 57 (86)
Shikhar Dhawan: 112 (124)
01:18 pm: IND 161/1 (35 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 44 (72)
Shikhar Dhawan: 103 (103)
01:10 pm: IND 145/1 (33 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 40 (68)
Shikhar Dhawan: 91 (105)
12:58 pm: IND 131/1 (30 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 39 (61)
Shikhar Dhawan: 78 (94)
12:48 pm: IND 117/1 (28 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 38 (60)
Shikhar Dhawan: 65 (83)
12:05 pm: IND 115/1 at Lunch (27 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 37 (59)
Shikhar Dhawan: 64 (78)
11:57 am: IND 107/1 (25 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 32 (52)
Shikhar Dhawan: 61 (73)
11:51 am: IND 95/1 (23 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 30 (49)
Shikhar Dhawan: 51 (64)
11:44 am: IND 87/1 (21 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 25 (41)
Shikhar Dhawan: 48 (60)
11:35 am: IND 82/1 (18 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 22 (29)
Shikhar Dhawan: 46 (54)
11:29 am: IND 75/1 (17 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 21 (28)
Shikhar Dhawan: 40 (49)
11:20 am: IND 65/1 (15.1 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 16 (24)
Shikhar Dhawan: 35 (42)
11:13 am: IND 60/1 (14 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 14 (22)
Shikhar Dhawan: 32 (37)
11:04 am: IND 47/1 (13 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara: 11 (21)
Shikhar Dhawan: 23 (31)
10:54 am: IND 42/1 (10.1 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara 6 (11)
Shikhar Dhawan 23 (24)
10:50 am: IND 38/1 (9 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara 4 (6)
Shikhar Dhawan 21 (22)
10: 42 am: IND 27/1 (7.3)
Shikhar Dhawan 14 (19)
Cheteshwar Pujara 0
Last Wkt: Mukund 12 (26)
10:35 am: India: 23/0 (6)
Abhinav Mukund: 12 (23)
Shikhar Dhawan: 10 (13)
10:00 am: Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first.
First published: 26 July 2017, 10:24 IST