3rd Test, Day 2: Cheteshwar Pujara’s Comeback Ton Lifts India to 292/8

Colombo: Cheteshwar Pujara marked his recall with an unbeaten century after Sri Lanka’s Dhammika Prasad ripped through India’s batting in the decisive third and final Test in Colombo on Saturday.

The tourists, who resumed at 50-2 after a rain-curtailed opening day, moved to 292-8 by stumps on the second day at the Sinhalese Sports Club with Pujara holding fort on a watchful 135 not out.

Pujara, who had been dropped for India’s last four Tests across Australia, Bangladesh and the ongoing series, may not have played this match too if both regular openers Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan had been fit.

The 27-year-old grabbed the chance to notch up his seventh Test century that has so far included 13 boundaries.

Fast bowler Prasad bowled superbly to take four wickets in the innings, including two off successive balls on either side of the lunch break that reduced India to 119-5.

Number nine batsman Amit Mishra came to India’s rescue with a defiant 59 during an eighth wicket stand of 104 with Pujara which boosted the total.

“This is definitely one of the toughest wickets I have played on,” said Pujara. “It’s a challenge to bat on it because you have to keep defending to survive and wait for the loose ball.

“I tried to keep things simple and play my natural game. It was important to play the ball from close to the body because a few guys got out playing it away from the body.”

Pujara said encouraging words from Indian batting great Rahul Dravid motivated him when he was out of the playing XI.

“Rahul told me there was nothing wrong with my technique and that I was batting well,” said Pujara. “He told me to stay calm and a big one could some soon.”