IND vs SL: Rain saves host for 2nd day, play called off due to rain

Overnight batsman Cheteshwar Pujara was batting at 47 with 9 hits to the boundaries and wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha was not out at 6 after playing 22 balls.

The two Indian wickets that fell in 21 overs of the day was taken by pacer Dasun Shanaka conceding 23 runs.

The thinly attended spectators at Eden Gardens had witnessed only 11.5 overs play on Day 1 (yesterday) in which Sri Lanka pace man Suranga Lakmal took all three wickets of Lokesh Rahul (0), Shikhar Dhawan (8) and Virat Kohli (0) in six overs conceding not a single run.

India starting at 17/3 overnight score, added only 57 runs and conceding two more wickets. Play was started at 0915 hours in anticiapation to have fair weather and  77 overs were allotted. But rain stopped the play at 1100 hours and lunch time was also advanced for the players, But incessant rains forced the authorities to call off the play for the day at 1430 hours, much relief to host Indian dugouts.

Actually only 165 minutes play could be held in past two days. Barring right handed 29-year-old batsman from Saurastra Cheteswar Pujara, no other top ranking batters for India could fathom the swing and cuts of Sri Lanka's four pacers the other two are Lahiru Gamage and Dimuth Karunaratne conceding 24 and 17 runs respectively. The fielding was also equally tight for the Indians.

Pujara faced 102 balls and hit 9 to the boundaries, three short of his 16th half century in 52 Test matches.

India added another 57 runs in the first session of the day conceding the wickets of Ajinkya Rahane ( 4) and Ravichandran Ashwin (4) to their overnight score of 17/3 in 11.5 overs.

Both the wickets of the day was taken by pacer Dasun Shanaka. Suranga Lakmal, who took all the three wickets of Day 1 in rain marred play with all six maiden overs, continued to spell his lethal bowling conceding only five runs in total 11 overs. He had also three maiden overs today.

Overnight batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who was zero, only added 4 runs with a boundary facing 21 balls, signifying how the bowling was tight from the tourists.

Rahane, was caught by wicket keeper Dickwella!! from the delivery of Shanaka to a rising delivery.

After Rahane Ravichandra Ashwin was to go when he gave catch to gully at  fielder Dimuth Karunaratne. Ashwin after hitting a boundary initially could not score to next 26 balls. Before getting out Ashwin got hurt on his right finger from a rising delivery of Lahiru Gamage.

Play will start at 09 15 hours on Saturday