On Day 2 of the second Test match against Sri Lanka in Colombo, India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant overcame an injury setback to produce a half-century. After Saransh Jain was removed early on Day 2, Pant, who had retired hurt on Day 1 due to a blow to his left wrist, returned to his innings on three. The Sri Lankan seamers launched a torrent of short-pitched blows at him right away. That didn’t deter Pant from facing the bowlers of the hosts, though.
Pant was met with a flurry of short balls from Lahiru Kumara as soon as he came out to bat following the dismissal of rookie Saransh Jain. Coincidentally, Kumara was the bowler who struck Pant in the forearm on Day 1, forcing him to retire due to injury. On the fifth ball of the 90th over, Pant went under a short delivery aimed at his body and hooked it over his long leg to launch his enormous six. One of the solar panels affixed to the stadium’s roof was broken when the ball struck it.
At lunch on Day 2, Pant and Jurel’s vital 112 runs off 151 balls for the seventh wicket solidified India’s lead. In a Test match in Sri Lanka, India has only achieved a century partnership for the seventh wicket or less twice. The last time this happened was in 2015, when Amit Mishra and Cheteshwar Pujara combined for 104 runs at the same location.
India, who finished with 300 for 5 in 85 overs on Day 1, would aim to build on the foundation they established. With a stunning 117, Devdutt Padikkal scored his second century of this series. The other noteworthy scores in the innings were 45 from Yashasvi Jaiswal, 43 from Ravindra Jadeja, and a half-century from captain Shubman Gill. With scores of 3 for 46 on Day 1, Asitha Fernando was the best bowler. Early on Day 2, he added another scalp to his stats by taking out Saransh, a debutant.
