Nagpur: India dominated the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka here on Saturday, taking a 107-run lead in the innings.
The key highlights of the day were centuries by Murali Vijay (128) and Cheteshwar Pujara (121 not out), as the duo put up a 209-run stand for the second wicket.
However, Vijay’s knock came to an end, after Rangana Herath provided a vital breakthrough for the visitors.
However, the hosts got back on track after the arrival of captain Virat Kohli, who remained unbeaten on 54. It was during the Kohli-Pujara stand when the latter got to his 14th Test ton, which in fact was the fourth against the Islanders
Sri Lanka will hope to make a comeback on Day three of the ongoing Test match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association ground here, as they look to break yet another growing partnership between Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.
India 264-2 from 86.2 overs
Cheteshwar Pujara has played a calm and composed innings to get to his 14th Test hundred, his fourth vs Sri Lanka.
India 216/2 from 76 overs:
WICKET! Murali Vijay departs after a fine hundred. Tries to sweep Herath but the ball takes the top edge and Perera makes no mistake holding onto that catch. India 2 down.
Nagpur: It was yet another session that belonged to India as they headed for the tea break at 185-1, with Murali Vijay scoring his 10th Test fifty, while Cheteshwar Pujara got to his 70s.
Nothing went right for Sri Lanka in the post-lunch session as Lahiru Gamage remained as the lone wicket-taker, scalping the wicket of KL Rahul on Friday.
Sri Lanka will hope to bounce back and break the Vijay-Pujara partnership in the post-tea session, which is currently at 178 runs.
India 173-1 from 61 overs
Murali Vijay gets to his 10th Test hundred as India inch closer to 200. The hosts are in the driver's seat, will the Lankans find a breakthrough?
India 136-1 from 54 overs
FIFTY! Cheteshwar Pujara continues his good form, with his 17th Test fifty. He has been in good form this year, and will look to continue with this momentum.
India 86/1 from 34 overs:
FIFTY! Murali Vijay brings up his 16th half-century in Test cricket as he and Pujara continue their fine second-wicket partnership and put India in a commanding position in the second Test. Sri Lanka's search for wicket continues.
India 40/1 from 18 overs:
Overnight batsmen Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara are taking no undue risks but making sure to keep the scoreboard ticking. 29 runs and closer to 45 minutes and without losing a wicket, this looks a fine start.
Indian spinners – R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja – who could not scalp a wicket in the first Test, were at the forefront as India bundled out Sri Lanka for a paltry total of 205 on Day 1 of the second Test. Ishant Sharma, meanwhile, scalped three.
While India lost KL Rahul before stumps, the batsmen-friendly wicket means an opportunity for the likes of Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma and others to score big and push Sri Lanka out of the game.
