Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant scored a blistering 96 to put India in a commanding position at the end of Day 1 of the opening test against Sri Lanka at PCA Stadium in Mohali on Friday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, openers Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal got India off to a solid start. The pair added 52 runs for the opening stand before the former miscued a Lahiru Kumara short delivery to Suranga Lakmal at long leg for 29.
Agarwal (33) was then trapped leg before wicket by Lasith Embuldeniya. Hanuma Vihari along with Virat Kohli added 90 runs for the third wicket before the latter fell five run short off a well deserved fifty. In the process the former skipper also became the sixth Indian to score 8000 test runs.
Vishwa Fernando brought the visitors back into the contest by dismissing Vihari bowled for 58, to reduce the hosts to 175/4.
Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant resurrected the innings with a 53-run stand for the fifth wicket before the former was trapped leg before wicket by Dhananjaya De Silva.
The 24 year old left hander featured in a 104 run stand for the six-wicket along side Ravindra Jadeja. The former looked set for a hundred before being bowled by Suranga Lakmal’s delivery that went through the gate and hit the off stump.
Ravindra Jadeja (45*) and Ravichandran Ashwin (10*) were unbeaten at the crease, as India ended Day 1 at 357/6.
Stumps at the end of Day 1
India 1st innings 357/6 ( Rishabh Pant 96, Hanuma Vihari 58, Ravindra Jadeja 45*,) Lasith Embuldeniya 2/107