As if to prove that the Green Park wicket in Kanpur will not be left behind to Motera in Ahmedabad, in dishing out tracks that afford nothing to the bowlers, and conversely everything for the batsmen, more than 400 runs were scored on the first day of the second test match between India and Sri Lanka. That Sri Lanka managed to scalp two wickets was a big enough relief but there was nothing more for the fielding side to cheer for.
In the process, both the openers, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir got to their respective hundreds in the day and looked good for much more. However, tired and bored looking shots saw the end of both the players before they could get to their double centuries; a possibility that looked very much a part till they remained on crease.
In fact, in the process, Gambhir also went on to score his fourth century in the fourth consecutive test match, after having hit two tons in New Zealand and two in this series. Another Indian, Rahul Dravid has gone one step better, by having scored four consecutive test centuries in four innings! Gambhir too has shown wonderful form in the last few games, and averages more than 100 this year, after having scored at least a half century in each of his 11 of the last 12 games that he has played in.
Sehwag also scored a 131 off only 120 odd deliveries, and in the process scored his first century of less than 150 in the last 11 that he has hit. Out of the 16 centuries he has scored, only five have been efforts of less than 150!
This total is also the first ever occasion that more than 400 runs have been scored on the first day of a test match in India. The highest ever score on the first day of any test match in the world is 494 that was hit by Australia on the first day of their Sydney test match against South Africa in 1910-11.
Coming back to the wicket, a lot had been said about how the pitch would assist the bowlers much more than the one in the previous game. But with no such help forthcoming, it does look like the bowlers will have much of digging deep into their resources to derive any help for themselves. Another boring draw in the offing?
Test Match Series: India v Sri Lanka Day 1 of 5
- India 1st Innings: 417 for 2 (90.0 overs)
