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Devdutt Padikkal and Shubman Gill struck half-centuries to put India in a commanding position before Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando dismissed Gill late in the second session on Day 1 of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground. India reached 187/3 in 52 overs at Tea, with Padikkal unbeaten on 63 and Rishabh Pant yet to open his account.
India, with the help of Padikkal and Gill, added 99 runs to their score in the second session of Day 1. Resuming the post-lunch session at 88/2, India dominated proceedings as Padikkal and Gill put together a crucial 120-run partnership for the third wicket. The pair negotiated Sri Lanka's spin attack confidently, with Padikkal bringing up his half-century off 90 balls. Gill also looked assured at the crease, hitting six boundaries during his 108-ball stay and completing his fifty. The duo's partnership helped India recover strongly after Sri Lanka had picked up two wickets during the morning session. However, Sri Lanka found a breakthrough just before Tea when skipper Dhananjaya de Silva brought Asitha Fernando back into the attack. The pacer made an immediate impact, breaching Gill's defence to dismiss him for 50 in the 52nd over. Padikkal remained unbeaten on 63 at Tea and will look to convert his start into another century after his heroics in the first Test. Earlier, opting to bat first, Team India was off to a solid start, with Yashasvi Jaiswal collecting three fours against Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara in the first two overs, including two successive fours against Kumara in the second over. KL Rahul took 11 balls to open his account, scoring his first runs with an elegant cover drive against Asitha in the fifth over. After the scoreboard stayed stagnant for a short spell, Jaiswal and KL hit a four and a six against Prabath Jayasuriya in the 10th over. However, just when KL seemed to be picking up his strike rate, he nicked one straight to Niroshan Dickwella behind the stumps, becoming Kumara's first wicket. KL was gone for 33 off 18, with two fours and a six. India was 37/1. A flick towards deep midwicket by Jaiswal against Keshara Nuwantha brought India's 50-run mark in 15.1 overs. The 17th over was an eventful one, with Jaiswal punishing Asitha with three fours in the space of four balls, but the bowler got the last laugh, as the left-hander's stumps were rattled for a 53-ball 45, with nine fours. India was 66/2 in 17 overs. Skipper Shubman Gill and Devdutt Padikkal guided India through the remainder of the first session without any further loss of wickets. India won the toss and elected to bat first, with Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain making his Test debut and spinner Kuldeep Yadav missing the match due to a viral illness. (ANI)
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