PUJARA, VIJAY TONS PUT INDIA IN CONTROL ON DAY TWO OF NAGPUR TEST
STEADY PUSH TN opener hits century on comeback while No 3 continues solid run with unbeaten 121
NAGPUR: In an almost perfect day for India, Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara ground the Sri Lank a attack with solid hundreds in the second Test on Saturday.
The two cashed in on perfect conditions to bat at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday, guiding India to 312/2 at stumps on the second day.
Vijay hit a stylish 128 (221 b, 11 x4,1x 6) and Puj ar a wash is typically dour self, unbeaten on 121 (284 b,13x4).It’ s the kind of performance that snuffs the fight out of the opposition and Sri Lankan bowlers had one wicket to show despite a disciplined effort.
Late in the day, Virat Kohli was at the bowlers’ throat, racing to an unbeaten 54 (70 b, 6x4).
Among the three performers of the day, there was extra focus on Vi jay a shew as under some pressure. Plagued by shoulder and wrist injuries, the opening batsman was playing his first Test since March, after being overlooked in favour of Shikhar Dhawan for the Kolkata match.
Pujara and Vijay have developed good understanding batting together and it was on display. Their partnership average is above 70, and they added 209 runs together. It is their third double century stand. They have shared 2740 runs in 38 innings.
The Sri Lankan bowling was not exactly menacing but they were disciplined. But their tactic of trying to build pressure and force the batsmen into mistakes didn’t work against Vijay and Pujara, who were all focus.
Pujara has now batted on all seven days of the series. Due to rain breaks, he was at the crease on all five days of the Eden Gardens Test, scoring 52 and 22. And KL Rahul’s cheap dismissal saw Pujara walk in to bat on Day 1.
Vijay started the day with a cover drive off Suranga Lakmal but runs were hard to come by for Vi jay and Pu jar a in the first hour --- India managing just 32 runs in the first 16 overs of the day.
Pujara opened up once offspinner Dilruwan Perera was introduced into the attack while Vijay pounced on anything pitched fuller, driving with aplomb. The feature of Vijay’s innings was the off-side driving, as he time and again caressed the Sri Lankan pacers to the boundary. His only six came against left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, stepping out and lofting him over long-off.
Sri Lanka were left to rue the two chances they gave Vijay, dropping him on 19 and 61.
Kohli came and straightaway upped the tempo. While the Indian captain was not going for the big shots, he was taking on the fielders and running hard between wickets. For dominant teams nowadays, the benchmark is to get 300 runs per day on good batting surfaces and that task was taken up by Kohl ito get India to that target, having resumed on 11/1.