Fluency After Flutter

Kohli and Rahul resuscitated the Indian innings with a partnership of 85 runs after India lost two early wickets. The score was 97/2 at Lunch.
Virat Kohli bats against Australia during their cricket test match in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday. (AP photo)
Virat Kohli bats against Australia during their cricket test match in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday. (AP photo)

Colombo: After the trial by spin in Galle, India batsmen had to brace themselves to the moving on a surface made moist by overnight rains. And their response wasn’t any better, as they soon found themselves 12 for 2 before KL Rahul (39 no) and Virat Kohli (48 no) resuscitated with an unbeaten partnership of 85 in the forenoon session.

In the first over itself Dhammika accounted for the returning opener Murali Vijay, pinging him adjacent off the fourth ball. The ball swung back in late to beat Vijay’s half defensive prod, another batsman floundering by playing from the crease.

In strode Ajinkya Rahane, probably a measure to not expose Rohit Sharma to the new ball. But the move backfired, as Rahane perished soon after, uncharacteristically wafting outside the off-stump to a wide ball that he could have left alone. But he was masterfully coerced to the shot by Prasad, who first bowled the outswinger closer to Rahane body and then gradually began to bowl wider. Rahane fell into the trap as his expansive drive took the edge to second slip. India slipped to 12 for 2.

The scorecard would have made for even poorer reading had Jehan Mubark clung on to Rahul’s edge at gully of Dushmantha Chameera. The India opener was on 11 and the overall score 20. He was later hit in the helmet grille by Mathews. But gradually, Rahul eased his nerves and started batting fluently. He scored a brace of boundaries either side of the bowler. Chameera’s waywardness presented enough opportunities to release the pressure.

Kohli, too, batted without any trouble, and relished on the occasional loose balls. He though survived a close leg-before appeal of Prasad when on 25. He was merciless on spinners, as he frequently whip-drove  Tharindu Kaushal and heaved Rangana Herath over long on.

Earlier, India made three changes to their side, with Vijay coming in for the injured Shikhar Dhawan, Stuart Binny in place of Harbhajan Singh and Varun Aaron making way for Umesh Yadav. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, were forced to replace the injured Nuwan Pradeep with Chameera.

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