Rain played a spoilsport on the Day1 of the third and the final test between India and Srilanka at Colombo on Friday. More than two sessions of the Day1, were completely wiped out as the intensity of the showers increased. Batting first India lost two wickets for a meager score as rain interrupts the play at a team score of 50/2.
Hardly 15 overs were bowled on Day1. Chateswar Pujara (19) and Virat Kohli (14) were on crease unbeaten before the play was interrupted by the rain.
The umpires have declared that the play will start at 09.45 AM and go on till 5.15 PM on the remaining four days to make for the lost time on Day 1.
Earlier in the day, Srilanka have won the toss and opted to field first on a pitch with a little bit of grass. The hosts made three changes to their playing eleven with Upul Tharanga coming in for the retired Kumara Sangakkara. Nuwan Pradeep returned in place of Dushmantha Chameera, while Jehan Mubarak was dropped and Kusal Perera handed his Test debut.
India on the other hand, have made a couple of changes. Naman Ojha was handed the test debut coming in for the injured keeper Wriddhiman Saha. Pujara comes in place of injured Murali vijay to open the match.
Pujara and KL Rahul have opened the innings for India in the third test. It was India’s fifth different batting order experiment in the last six tests.
However, the combination did not get the credit with KL Rahul (2) getting bowled off the second ball faced. Ajinkya Rahane (8) who played a couple of good drives had followed the pavilion given out as LBW.
later on, Virat Kohli has joined up with Pujara and made sure that no other wicket fell. The series stands at 1-1 with Srilanka winning the first test and India the second. The winner of the third test at Colombo seals the series , the Hindu reports.