For the second time in the Test match, KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal stitched together a half-century stand for the second wicket. It was only the fifth time an Indian pair had managed two 50-plus partnerships in the same Test in Sri Lanka, the second such instance in Galle and the first in 16 years, with VVS Laxman and Suresh Raina the last to achieve the feat in Colombo in 2008.
However, the partnership would not have been possible without a crucial intervention from Padikkal, who convinced a reluctant Rahul to take an LBW review. What followed was a hug and an almost-kiss.
It happened on the last ball of the 11th over of India’s innings when Prabath Jayasuriya got his arm ball to drift into Rahul. The batter prodded forward and was beaten on the inside edge, with the ball striking him on the back pad as Sri Lanka broke into a huge appeal.
IND vs SL Live Score 1st Test
The umpire did not hesitate before raising his finger, leaving Rahul convinced that he was out. He had almost started walking back when Padikkal stopped him and urged him to take the review.
The replay showed that the impact was in line and there was no bat involved. However, the ball was missing the stumps, with the tracker showing it would have gone over the top. The Sri Lankan players were left in disbelief, while Jayasuriya himself kept staring at the giant screen, seemingly hoping the technology would somehow prove him right.
Rahul, meanwhile, was understandably elated at having survived. He heaved a huge sigh of relief before hugging Padikkal and almost kissing him — if only it wasn’t for the helmet.
Rahul, who was batting on 25 off 37 at the time, added just 10 more runs to his score before Jayasuriya eventually got his revenge. Facing a fuller delivery outside off, Rahul shimmied down the track and lofted the ball over mid-on. However, the bat twisted at the point of impact and the shot did not have enough distance, with Milan Rathnayake taking the catch at deepish mid-off.
Earlier in the day, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal for a three-ball duck in the opening over. It was his seventh dismissal for a duck as a Test opener.
On Day 3, India bowled Sri Lanka out for 284 to take a 178-run lead.