Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja ran through the Sri Lanka Board President’s XI line-up before the Indians’ opener K.L. Rahul, returning from injury, impressed on the opening day of the two-day warm-up match, here on Friday.
The home team was comfortably placed at 139 for one, thanks to a 130-run second-wicket stand between opener Danushka Gunathilaka (74) and Lahiru Thirimanne (59), but folded for 187.
The match situation changed drastically after Thirimanne’s fall in the 38th over, with the next eight wickets tumbling for 48 runs, and the innings lasted only 55.5 overs.
All eight bowlers in the Indian squad had a go, with chinaman Kuldeep (four for 14 in 6.5 overs) and Jadeja (three for 31 in nine overs) standing out.
India got to bat for 30 overs, and made 135 for three. Rahul, returning after a three-month injury lay-off, made a 54 (58 balls, 7x4).
Virat Kohli too got to spend some time in the middle, scoring 34 (46 balls) in an unbeaten 43-run stand with Ajinkya Rahane (30 batting, 30 balls).
The scores: SLBP XI — 1st Innings: D. Gunathilaka run out 74, K. Silva c Saha b Shami 4, L. Thirimanne c sub b Jadeja 59, D. de Silva c sub b Jadeja 0, R. Silva (not out) 29, A. Priyanjan c Rahane b Jadeja 2, S. Weerakkody lbw b Kuldeep 10, K. Vithanage c Bhuvneshwar b Kuldeep 2, S. Jayasuriya b Kuldeep 1, T. Kaushal c Saha b Shami 1, L. Gamage c Umesh b Kuldeep 1, V. Fernando 0, K. Rajitha 0, Extras (nb-1, lb-3) 4; Total (in 55.5 overs) 187.
Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-139, 3-139, 4-145, 5-145, 6-161, 7-165, 8-179, 9-186.
The Indians bowling: Shami 5-1-9-2, Bhuvneshwar 6-1-18-0, Umesh 8-0-43-0, Ishant 7-1-27-0, Pandya 4-1-8-0, Ashwin 10-2-34-0, Jadeja 9-0-31-3, Kuldeep 6.5-2-14-4.
The Indians — 1st Innings: K.L. Rahul lbw b Rajitha 54, Abhinav Mukund b Fernando 0, C. Pujara b Fernando 12, V. Kohli (batting) 34, A. Rahane (batting) 30, Extras (b-1, nb-4) 5; Total (for three wkts in 30 overs) 135.
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-46, 3-89.
SLBP XI bowling: Fernando 6-0-21-2, Gamage 8-1-31-0, Rajitha 5-1-21-1, Kaushal 3-0-16-0, Jayasuriya 1-0-8-0 .
Toss: SLBP XI .
