Ahmedabad, Nov 16 (IANS) Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh’s century stand resurrected India’s first innings after the first four wickets fell in quick time, three of these to fast bowler Chanaka Welegedara, on the opening day of the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka here Monday.
At tea, India were 221 for five with Rahul Dravid on 98 and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on 29. Dravid and Yuvraj (68) with their 125-run fifth-wicket stand helped India to recover after Welegedara’s destructive spell reduced India to 32 for four at the Sardar Patel Stadium in the Motera neighbourhood of Ahmedabad.

Sri Lanka’s new ball bowlers Welegedara and Dhamika Prasad (1/34) bowled a disciplined line and length and forced the Indian batsmen to commit mistakes.

Both Welegedara and Prasad found their second deliveries smashed to the boundary by Virender Sehwag (16). But Welegedara soon provided the breakthrough as Gautam Gambhir (1) played on, dragging an outswinger onto the stumps.

Welegedara was on fire as he went on to pick up Sehwag and Tendulkar (1) in three deliveries to put India on the backfoot. Prasad chipped in crashing through the defence of V.V.S. Laxman and India lost four wickets in 30 deliveries.

Dravid and Yuvraj then played carefully, though they didn’t hesitate to send the bad ball to the boundary.

Yuvraj was in fine touch and hit Prasad for two fours in the 10th over to set the tone of the partnership. He smashed Muttiah Muralithran for a boundary in the famous spinner’s first over while Dravid lifted left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for a huge six down the line.

Despite wickets tumbling at the other end, 100 runs came up in the 24th over and India went into lunch at 105 for four. Even after the break, Dravid was in full flow and hit Welegedara for three fours in the 29th over to step up the run rate.

Boundaries also kept flowing from Yuvraj’s bat and the left-hander hit 13 fours during his 93 ball stay at the crease. He was foxed by a loopy delivery by Muralitharan and gave an easy catch to Tillekaratne Dilshan.