Padikkal's 44 helps India build 294-run lead over SL by Day 4 lunch

GALLE: Devdutt Padikkal held the innings together with a smooth 44 as India reached 116 for four at lunch to extend their overall lead to a healthy 294 on the fourth day of the first Test here on Tuesday.

Padikkal, who made a 167 in the first innings, looked in perfect touch again, before getting dismissed at the dying moments of the first session.

Rishabh Pant (21) and Dhruv Jurel (5) were batting at the break after the tourists established a first innings lead of 178 on the third day.

India’s second essay had a shaky start as a laden-footed Yashasvi Jaiswal edged pacer Asitha Fernando to stumper Niroshan Dickwella in the first over itself.

Jaiswal, now largely a one-format player, will have to find a way to register some serious runs under his belt before the patience of bigwigs wears thin.

He has just one fifty in the last eight Test innings, and that is too lean for an opener assigned to give his team a solid start.

KL Rahul looked solid as ever and even added a dash of aggression to his innings, clobbering Prabath Jayasuriya for two sixes — one over long off and another to the sight screen

But Rahul, who escaped from a leg-before decision through DRS on 25, perished to Jayasuriya after adding 65 runs for the second wicket with Padikkal.

Captain Shubman Gill too did not last long, falling leg before to Jayasuriya.

However, Sri Lanka lost Dinesh Chandimal’s presence due to a shoulder injury which he suffered while fielding at boundary. He has been taken to hospital for a precautionary scan.

But all this brouhaha around him did not affect Padikkal, batting with assurance from ball one.

The left-hander swept and cut spinners at will, giving India some valuable runs to break away from the home side.

A straight punch off off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha was the standout shot of his innings, as Padikkal showed the penchant to put away even good balls.

But the Karnataka man eventually fell to a zipping ball from Nuwantha that pinned him to the back foot.

Padikkal did resort to DRS but to no avail.