IND vs SL, 1st Test: Prabath, Nuwantha lead SL’s fightback as India end day 2 at 460/9

Galle [Sri Lanka], August 16 (ANI): A four-wicket haul from Prabath Jayasuriya was the highlight as Sri Lanka showed bit of a fight back, reducing India to 460/9 at the end of a rain-truncated day two of the first Test at Galle on Sunday.
At the stumps, Prasidh Krishna was unbeaten on one and and Kuldeep Yadav 12. India started the final session at 364/5, with Dhruv Jurel (4*) and Ravindra Jadeja (19*) unbeaten.
Keshara Nuwantha struck early in the final session, removing Jadeja for 25-ball 13.
Jurel and Manav Suthar continued to form a partnership, smashing Lahiru Kumara for three fours bringing up India's 400-run mark.
Jurel brought up his half-century, the second of his Test career, in 66 balls, with four boundaries and a six.
Prabath Jayasuriya got his third wicket of the day, removing Jurel for 68-ball 51 and ending the 55 run partnersip between Suthar-Jurel partnership.
Asitha Fernando and Prabath helped Sri Lanka end their day on high, dismissing Mohammed Siraj (11) and Suthar (24 in 43 balls, with two fours).
Prabath (4/109) and Nuwantha (3/175) were the best bowlers for SL.
Earlier, Sri Lanka's debutant pacer Keshara Nuwantha and Prabath Jayasuriya engineered a spirited fightback for the hosts in the second session on Day 2 of the opening Test, striking thrice to peg India back to 364/5 in 94 overs at Tea after the entire opening session was washed out due to rain.
Dhruv Jurel (19*) and Ravindra Jadeja (4*) were the batters on the crease for India after Sri Lanka got rid of centurion Devdutt Padikkal (167), KL Rahul (82) and Rishabh Pant (39).
With the opening session being washed out, India resumed batting from their overnight score of 288/2 with Pant and Padikkal at the crease.
Pant was the first wicket to fall, dismissed for 39 by Nuwantha. In the 81st over, Pant charged down the track looking to attack, but the ball took the bottom of his bat, and he failed to time the shot. The ball went towards mid-off, where Sonal Dinusha ran to his right and completed a sliding catch. India was 307/3.
After Pant's dismissal, KL Rahul returned to the crease after retiring hurt on Day 1, resuming his innings on 77. However, he could add only five more runs before Keshara Nuwantha dismissed him for 82 in the 85th over. India was 319/4.
Dhruv Jurel joined Devdutt Padikkal at the crease and added 38 runs with him before Padikkal was dismissed for a magnificent 167 by Prabath Jayasuriya in the 92nd over. India was 357/5.
India added 76 runs to their overnight total while losing three wickets, heading into the final session on Day 2 at 364/5 after 94 overs.
India ended Day 1 strongly at 288/2 after rain interrupted play several times. After Yashasvi Jaiswal was run out for 32 in the first session, Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul steadied the innings with a 150-run partnership.
Padikkal went on to score a brilliant century in 134 balls, becoming the first Indian No. 3 to hit a Test hundred since Shubman Gill in September 2024. He remained unbeaten on 133, while Rahul retired hurt on 77 due to cramps.
After Gill replaced Rahul, he scored 16 before being dismissed by Prabath Jayasuriya. Rishabh Pant then joined Padikkal and helped India accelerate against the spinners. At stumps, India were 288/2, with Padikkal unbeaten on 133 and Pant on 12. (ANI)