KOLKATA: India’s top order bulwark Cheteshwar Pujara resisted a relentless Sri Lankan pace attack with a gutsy unbeaten 47 before rain returned to wipe out more than two sessions of the second day’s play in the opening Test on Friday.

Steady showers had allowed just 11.5 overs on the first day of the three-match series and the heavens opened once more on Friday to initially force an early lunch and then wash out the final two sessions with India reeling on 74 for five.

When play was called off, Pujara, a model of concentration, stood three runs short of a 16th Test fifty, a knock he would be proud of considering the conditions at Eden Gardens.

Local favourite Wriddhiman Saha survived some anxious moments to remain six not out at the other end as the visitors continued to plunder wickets between the showers in search of a first Test win against their hosts in India.

Sri Lanka’s first change bowler Dasun Shanaka dismissed Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin, both for four, to compound India’s woes after the hosts had resumed on 17-3 under an overcast sky.

Suranga Lakmal had claimed three wickets on the opening day without conceding a run and the paceman eventually sent down 46 dot balls before Rahane hit a boundary to end the streak.

Shanaka struck in his third over when Rahane chased a wide delivery and nicked a catch to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella.

Next man in Ashwin was hit on the thumb by a rising Lahiru Gamage delivery and needed medical attention, before he also fell victim to a very ordinary shot against Shanaka, slicing a delivery straight to Dimuth Karunaratne at point.

Saha looked tentative as well but Pujara batted with characteristic assuredness at the other end.

On a green track where the ball moved significantly, Pujara came up with a batting masterclass — playing late, close to his body with soft hands and leaving well.

Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas lauded “world class” Pujara for his gritty knock, saying the batsman’s county experience helped him master the seaming conditions.

Pujara, who signed up with English county side Nottingh­amshire in May, presents himself as a classical batsman in the age of Twenty20 cricket.

“He is obviously a world class player. That innings just showed you the benefits of him playing county cricket,” Pothas told reporters.

“That is genuinely a wicket that you will find in England April-May. And he certainly played the conditions very well.

“So far we have been pretty pleased of how we have gone about things. It is obviously very challenging batting conditions ... we are hoping things go our way,” the former South African player added.

India’s fielding coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar believes the Indian seamers will also relish bowling in these conditions.

“It was fabulous to see so much of lateral movement and swing Lakmal and his fellow bowlers were purchasing from this wicket,” said Sridhar.

“Hopefully [Mohammed] Shami and ‘Sultan of swing’ Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] would relish the challenge.

“This Test can definitely get a result in 270 overs, should we get that. If the weather clears out, it would be really interesting going by the conditions of this Test,” he said.

Scoreboard

INDIA (1st Innings, overnight 17-3):

K.L. Rahul c Dickwella b Lakmal 0
S. Dhawan b Lakmal 8
C.A. Pujara not out 47
V. Kohli lbw b Lakmal 0
A.M. Rahane c Dickwella b Shanaka 4
R. Ashwin c Karunaratne b Shanaka 4
W.P. Saha not out 6

EXTRAS (b-4, lb-1) 5

TOTAL (for five wkts, 32.5 overs) 74

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-13, 3-17, 4-30, 5-50.

TO BAT: R.A. Jadeja, B. Kumar, Mohammed Shami, U.T. Yadav.

BOWLING (to-date): Lakmal 11-9-5-3; Gamage 11.5-3-24-0; Shanaka 8-2-23-2; Karunaratne 2-0-17-0.

SRI LANKA: F.D.M. Karunaratne, S. Samarawickrama, H.D.R.L. Thirimanne, L.D. Chandimal, A.D. Mathews, N. Dickwella, M.D. Shanaka, M.K.D. Perera, H.M.R.K.B. Herath, R.A.S. Lakmal, P.L.S. Gamage.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2017