2nd Test: Gill falls after fifty, India 187/3 at tea against Sri Lanka on Day 1

COLOMBO: Shubman Gill (50) fell at the stroke of tea as India reached 187/3 at the end of second session on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Gill was caught behind for 50 off 108 balls (6 fours) right after completing his half-century. He was dismissed by Asitha Fernando.

The skipper put on 120 runs for the third wicket with Devdutt Padikkal, who was batting on 63 (117 balls, 7 fours) while Rishabh Pant was on the other end.Earlier, India were put under some early pressure as Sri Lanka jettisoned KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, reducing the visitors to 88 for two at lunch.

After opting to bat, India started solidly through Rahul (18) and Jaiswal (45), who added a trouble-free 37 runs for the first wicket.

Jaiswal was particularly impressive as he eschewed the cut shot, which has led to his peril often in the past, to a good extent.The left-hander smashed pacer Lahiru Kumara for two boundaries in succession, before executing a wonderful cover drive off left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya.

Rahul was as restrained as ever but showed a glimpse of his shot-making ability, lifting Jayasuriya for a six straight over the head of Rahul went for a square cut off Kumara, but the laden feet shot only produced an edge to Niroshan Dickwella behind the stumps.

Jaiswal looked primed for a bigger score but soon fell to Asitha Fernando. The pacer produced a peach of a nip-backer to breach the Indian’s defence and a little drama followed that dismissal.

Fernando gave Jaiswal, who had sledged Dickwella in the second innings of the first Test at Galle, a send-off, and the Indian opener turned back to have a few words with the Lankan with his helmet touching the forehead of the pacer.