Lakmal takes two wickets to reduce India to 17/2 at tea

Pacer Suranga Lakmal took two wickets on a green top track to keep the more fancied India batsmen at bay and reduce the hosts to 17/2 after 8.2 overs at tea in a rain-truncated opening day of the first cricket Test here at the Eden Gardens on Thursday.

Play was stopped for three-and-a-half-hours after a light drizzle, coupled with a wet outfield, forced the covers to remain on the field throughout the morning.

At the break, Cheteshwar Pujara (8) and skipper Virat Kohli (0) were at the crease after only 43 minutes of play was possible.

Lakmal bowled 4.2 overs with four maidens and taking two wickets. He did not concede a single run.

At the other end, Lahiru Gamage was also good, though 16 runs were taken off him from four overs.

The tourists sent opener Lokesh Rahul packing in the very first delivery. A seaming Lakmal delivery squared Rahul up inside the crease, forcing him to edge the delivery which had extra bounce to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella.

At the other end, Dhawan (8 off 11; 1x4) dragged the ball onto his stumps the only time he was brought onto his front foot by Lakmal.

Pujara got his first runs after 21 balls, pushing at a delivery short of good length which went for a four towards the third man boundary.

The conditions were tough to bat even for the in-form and technically sound Saurashtra batsman. He was searching for the ball which nipped back off the deck rather late.

When the game was stopped for three and half hours due to rain and wet outfield, Pujara spent some time at the nets in the indoor facilities alongwith Rahul.

Hot on the heels of scoring a double ton against Jharkhand and 182 versus Gujarat, Pujara was the only batsman who looked to be settling down on a wicket which had a lot of zip.

To a Gamage half-volley, Pujara played a classy drive past mid-off before the right-arm fast bowler got back with a gem of a delivery in the next ball that moved in at the batsman.

Brief scores: 17/2 in 8.2 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 8 not out, Virat Kohli 0 not out; Surangan Lakmal 2/0)

--IANS

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