INDIA BUILD ON BIG LEAD OVER SRI LANKA

India’s Rohit Sharma plays a shot

India were 61/1 in their second innings at tea on day two of the D/Nt test against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru yesterday, building a lead of 204 runs. Skipper Rohit Sharma (30) and Hanuma Vihari (8) were at the crease after India bowled out Sri Lanka for 109 in the first session.

Sri Lanka had resumed day two on 86/6 but their resistance lasted only 27 minutes as Jasprit Bumrah (5/24) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/30) cleaned up the tail to give the hosts a 143-run advantage before the second innings. It was Sri Lanka’s second-lowest test total against India as Bumrah’s fiery spells gave him his eighth five-wicket haul and his first on home soil on a pitch that heavily favoured the spinners on day one.

Sri Lanka’s woes were compounded when spinner Praveen Jayawickrama, who picked up three wickets in the first innings, hobbled off after an injury sustained while fielding. India’s openers shared a 42-run stand before Lasith Embuldeniya dismissed Mayank Agarwal who edged a catch to Dhananjaya de Silva in the slips to depart for 22. India won the toss and posted a total of 252 on the back of Shreyas Iyer’s fine innings of 92. India lead the two-test series 1-0 after winning the first match in Mohali by an innings and 222 runs. Reuters