Rishabh Pant stole the show on day one of Virat Kohli’s 100th Test with a counterattack 96, giving India the advantage on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Punjab Cricket Association’s IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Friday.
After winning the toss, India opted for batting, reaching 357 for 6 on the stumps on Day 1, with spin all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin undefeated at the kink. Sri Lanka were unable to complete their full 90 overs quota but India may have knocked them out of contention with a dominant performance on the opening day of the landmark test.
This is Stumps on Day 1 of Test 1.#TeamIndia 357/6 after 85 overs. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja combined for 104 runs on the board.
pants 96
Jadeja 45*Scorecard – https://t.co/c2vTOXAx1p #INDvSL @Paytm pic.twitter.com/pXSRnSXBsh
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 4, 2022
Jadeja was a mere spectator in the solid and fast 104 run standing for the sixth wicket with the pant. The Indian wicketkeeper attacked from ball one and sped away with just 97 deliveries on 96 before Suranga Lakmal knocked him over with the second new ball.
Pant hit 4 sixes and 9 boundaries as he attacked the Sri Lankan spinners after hitting his 50 in 73 balls. Pant beat Lasith Embuldeniya for 22 runs in an over as he wowed the Mohali crowd, who stood and applauded the fiery wicketkeeper as he walked back to the pavilion, heartbroken after retiring for the fifth time of his career in the 90s.
HANUMA VIHARI RISE TO NO. 3
India were in a strong position as Kohli added 90 runs for the third wicket with new No. 3 Hanuma Vihari to take them to 170/2. But Sri Lanka hit back when Kohli was castled by left arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya as the ball spun past his racquet and knocked off his stumps.
Hanuma Vihari took his chance in place of Cheteshwar Pujara and looked controlled during his 58-run knockdown before hitting Fernando’s delivery on the stumps.
“King” Kohli went out to bat to great cheers from the crowd in Mohali, and every run the right-handed batsman, who hit more than 8,000 runs in Tests in his innings, made was applauded. Kohli looked solid during his time at center as he hit five boundaries during his 45-run tap. The former India skipper also achieved 8000 test runs over the course of his 45 balls from 76, which also included four more hits on the fence.
Previously, Rohit Sharma was the first wicket to fall for India when he fell out for 29 at his first batting as Test captain. Rohit hit six fours in his 28-ball innings and added 52 for the opening stand with Mayank Agarwal before finding the deep, fine-legged fielder with a hookshot from fast bowler Lahiru Kumara.
Virat Kohli was also congratulated by the BCCI before the game started. Current India coach Rahul Dravid presented him with a commemorative hat and souvenir in the presence of his wife Anushka Sharma.
