Cheteshwar Pujara notches up well-deserved fifty against Sri Lanka in Kolkata Test
Cheteshwar Pujara scored a brilliant half century to give India hope after a poor start against Sri Lanka in their first Test encounter in Kolkata.
It was due on Friday but the rain had other plans. As the sun got out of bed and stretched itself on Saturday --- rising slightly late perhaps because it is the weekend --- Cheteshwar Pujara reached his 16th Test half-century on Day 3 of the first Test match between India and Sri Lanka in Kolkata on Saturday. (LIVE BLOG)
Fittingly it was off a boundary, his 10th and the first off a spinner. Rangana Herath was introduced from the Club House end and Cheteshwar Pujara swept his fifth ball to the fine-leg fence to complete a well-deserved half century. It was an important personal milestone but more importantly it was one that India desperately needed to ensure that the first innings got a shade of respectability. (LIVE SCORECARD)
Eight of Pujara’s boundaries have been on the off-side but when Dimuth Karunarathna strayed in line on Friday, he was pulled. Ditto when Herath drifted on to the middle and leg.
However, Pujara was unable to build on his fifty as Lahiru Gamage produced an absolute peach of a delivery to dismiss him for 52. The ball nipped back in sharply off the deck and when Pujara went for the drive, past the gap to flatten off his stumps.
