It was a record start for the second Test as Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami shared five wickets between them as Sri Lanka tottered at 86 for 6 at stumps on Day 1 against India in Pink-ball Test. 

338 runs and 16 wickets in a day, a gratifying day for both batters and bowlers. Eventually, Bowlers stole the show for the day. A record 16 wickets fell on Day 1 for a Pink Ball test match, most for any match to date. 

India’s first innings

India won the toss and chose to bat first, but lost an early wicket to Mayank Agarwal, who was run-out. The Sri Lankan spinners subsequently took control of the game and dominated the Indian batters for the remainder of the innings. Before the tea break, spin bowlers dismissed Rohit, Vihari, and Kohli. Rishabh Pant - 39(26) played his natural game, slamming 7 boundaries, but was unable to extend his innings as he had done in the last Test. Pant and Jadeja were dismissed in quick succession by Embuldeniya.

The responsibility of taking India to a respectable score fell to current in-form Shreyas Iyer, who is playing his 4th Test, squandered a chance for a well-deserved century on a difficult track. As India folded for 252, he was the final man to be dismissed for 92.

"When I was waiting to bat, I could see there was drama happening every over," Shreyas Iyer said. "I just decided I couldn't get out defending the ball because there was more chance of getting out that way. So we had to have that intent. I didn't think of the 100 until I reached the 80s. Jassi was defending so well I never felt I could take a single, only the fifth or the sixth. I don't have any regrets, I could have got out before as well. When the ball was new, it seamed and swung for us."

Day-night conditions for Bowlers

Sri Lanka's bowling performance will leave them unhappy, as their spinners failed to capitalise on the ball twisting and bouncing unevenly throughout the day. They let up runs at a rate of 4.25 per over, allowing India to score 252 in their first innings, much exceeding expectations.

In reply to India's 252, Sri Lanka were 86 for 6 at stumps. Bowling under lights was the Bumrah and Shami show as they made the new ball swing and seamed, and the Sri Lankan batters showed little fight. Angelo Mathews top-scored for Sri Lanka with an 85-ball 43 while all other visiting batters struggled on the field. Dickwella and Lasith Embuldeniya were batting on 13 and zero, respectively, at the close of play. 

Harsha Bhogle, in his tweets, remarked, "What a fascinating game this pink ball test is! Gripping and turning in the afternoon, swinging and seaming at night. Now waiting to see if it turns a lot tomorrow afternoon."

Sri Lanka is now trailing by 166 with 4 wickets remaining in the hands. Facing Indian spinners during the day would be very challenging for Lankan batsman and could end up giving a match-deciding lead to Team India.