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Fri, 17 November 2017
1st Test: Play called off early on Day 2 due to rain

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14:48   Play called off early on Day 2 due to rain


India 74-5 (32.5 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

With no signs of the rain relenting the umpires have decided to call off play early on the second day.

Only 21 overs were bowled on Day 2 in which India scored 57 runs for the loss of two wickets.

Play was halted around 10 minutes before the scheduled lunch interval and a steady downpour since then has meant that there was further play possible.

Cheteshwar Pujara has kept India afloat in testing conditions with a gritty innings of 47 not out from 102 balls, while Saha is unbeaten on six.

The third day's play will again begin at 915am IST as the umpires look to make up for lost time on the first two days.
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13:52   Rain halts SL charge, Pujara fights lone battle


India 74-5 (32.5 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

The resumption still looks a long way away with the ground still under covers even though the rain has stopped.

The groundstaff are working towards getting the water off the covers following the heavy outburst.

Only when the covers are off will the umpires think about conducting an inspection, till then we wait and watch!
11:34   Pujara fights lone battle, India 74-5 as rain halts play


India 74-5 (32.5 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Meanwhile, the rain has picked up at the Eden Gardens as the umpires have called for lunch on Day 2.

Infact, it is pouring quite heavily at the moment and we look set for a long delay.

India lost two quick wickets in the morning session to be reduced to 74 for five in their first innings in the rain-affected morning session on Day 2.

At lunch, which was called early because of rain, Cheteshwar Pujara was batting on a gritty innings of 47, with Wriddhiman Saha unbeaten on six.

Dasun Shanaka picked up both wickets in the morning, that of Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin, who both scored just four.
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11:04   Pujara fights lone battle, India 74-5 as rain halts play


India 74-5 (32.5 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Wriddhiman Saha walks out to bat at No. 7 in front of his home fans with India need a big partnership to get themselves out of trouble.

Pujara has been a model of concentration, not doing anything rash, while waiting for the loose deliveries. Once again a full delivery from Shanaka is taken full toll off as Pujara drives it past mid-off for his seventh boundary.

Meanwhile, Saha watchfully plays out a maiden over from pacer Shanaka.

Saha looking to come on to the front foot at every opportunity and is facing some problems when keeping out the short balls.

Part-time medium pacer Dimuth Karunaratne comes into the attack. He starts with a short wide delivery which Pujara slaps through the off-side for a four and then takes one.

Pujara takes another single to take his score to 40, the only Indian batsman to score in double digits in this innings.

Saha is content to defend everything and is yet to score from 17 deliveries, but his role is to just support Pujara. Saha plays a loose shot as he tries to drive a wide full delivery from Gamage but is beaten by the away movement.

Karunaratne bowls a short ball which Pujara comfortably pulls through midwicket for a four and then picks up another single after a misfield in the covers.

Another loose delivery from the part-time pacer as Saha punches the short ball through the covers for a four to get off the mark. He takes one from the next ball and Pujara gets a couple from the last ball as Karunratne goes for 12 runs in the over.

Saha has a close shave as he inside edges Gamage which narrowly misses the stumps for a single on the leg side.

The umpires call the players off the ground as it starts to rain at the Eden Gardens.

India are struggling on 74 for four in 32.5 overs at the rain interruption on Day 2.

Pujara has scored majority of the runs for India, having played a splendid innings of 47 not out from 102 balls, inclusive of nine fours. He gets a huge ovation from his team mates in the dressing room, while Saha is on six.
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10:27   Ashwin falls for 4, India lose 5th wicket


India 50-5 (26 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Ashwin gets another unplayable delivery from Shanaka, which pitches on the stumps and moves away considerably. It squares up Ashwin, who attempts to defend but is beaten and the ball bounces over the stumps. Ashwin must have thanked his stars on not having edged that delivery.

Gamage comes back into the attack as Lakmal gets a break after a splendid first spell of three for five in 11 overs, which includes nine maidens.

Gamage gets one to shape in sharply which Pujara clips to fine leg for one.

The inconsistent Shanaka produces another beauty as he leaves Pujara hanging with a cracking outswinger, getting lot of bounce and swing. However, he slips the next ball down the leg side which Pujara clips fine for a four.

Gamage hits Ashwin on the gloves with a sharp rising bouncer as the off-spinner get hit on the right thumb. But after a quick check by the physio he is fit to continue as he plays out a maiden over.

Shanaka gifts Pujara another half-volley which the right-hander drills through the covers for a four. He then takes a single to bring up India's 50, in the 26th over.

Ashwin also gives his wicket away with a careless shot as he goes after a wide delivery, trying to drive it on the up but is caught on the off-side for four.

Pujara is waging a lone battle from the other end, having made 29 from 83 balls with India reduced to 50 for five in 26 overs.
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10:02   Rahane falls for 4, India 4 down


India 39-4 (21 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Sri Lanka strike early on Day 2 with the key wicket of Rahane, who plays a loose shot and is caught behind for four.

Rahane went chasing after a wide outswinger from Shanaka only to get an edge which was gobbled up by wicketkeeper Dickwella.

Rahane walks back after scoring just four as India slip to a lowly 30 for four.

All-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin walks in at No. 6 ahead of Wriddhiman Saha. He gets off the mark with a four through the covers as Shanaka bowls a full toss.

Pujara clips Lakmal to fine leg for one before Ashwin plays out the rest of the over.

Shanaka overpitches again as Pujara drives the half-volley down the ground past mid-off for a four to take the score to 39 for four in 20 overs.

Lakmal bowls a beauty to Ashwin, who has a tentative poke to one which bounces and moves away and is beaten.

Another maiden for Lakmal, his ninth out of 11 overs as India continue to defend and slowly build a partnership.
09:35   India face uphill task on Day 2


India 30-3 (16 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden rings the bell at the Eden Gardens to signal start of play on Day 2.

Lahiru Gamage completes his unfinished over , as he bowls the last delivery outside the off-stump which is left alone by Cheteshwar Pujara.

Lakmal, who caused the damage on Day 1, continues from the other end. He continues to bowl in the channel just outside the off-stump as Rahane is content to leave before he is beaten off the last ball by one which comes in. Another maiden over from Lakmal, his seventh on the trot.

Dasun Shanaka comes into the attack to replace Gamage, who bowled just one ball on Day 2.

It turns out to be a poor over for Sri Lanka as he overpitches twice and Pujara plays two beautiful straight drives past mid-off for two boundaries to release some pressure off the Indian camp.

India finally manage to get a run off Lakmal. And it is a streaky boundary as Rahane gets a thick outside edge which goes past the gully fielder for a four as the right-hander gets off the mark.

In the next over, Pujara takes a single off Shanaka to fine leg, his first after facing 54 balls, to take his score to 17.
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09:06   India face uphill task on Day 2



India 17-3 (11.5 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Welcome to the coverage of Day 2 of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Kolkata on Friday.

Sri Lanka fast bowler Suranga Lakmal made most of bowling on a green track to rock India on a rain-hit opening day.

The 30-year-old produced a scintillating display of seam bowling to claim three wickets without conceding a run in his six overs to reduce India to 17 for three before play was called off due to bad light after just 11.5 overs were bowled on Day 1.

India's hopes will rest largely on their dependable duo of Cheteshwar Pujara (8) and Ajinkya Rahane (0), who will need to bat out the morning session and guide India of the current mess.

On Day 1, KL Rahul was dismissed off the first ball of the match as he was caught behind for a duck, while his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan was bowled off an inside edge for eight.

The biggest blow for India was the dismissal for captain Virat Kohli for a duck as he was dismissed leg before wicket.

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