India v Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka deny India in drawn first Test

India v Sri Lanka (First Test, Eden Gardens)

Match drawn

India 1st inns: 172 (Pujara 52; Lakmal 4-26, Gamage 2-59, Shanaka 2-36)

Sri Lanka 1st inns: 294 (Herath 67, Mathews 52, Thirimanne 51; B Kumar 4-88, Shami 4-100, U Yadav 2-79)

India 2nd inns: 352-8 dec (Kohli 104*, Dhawan 94, Rahul 79; Lakmal 3-93, Shanaka 3-76)

Sri Lanka 2nd inns: 75-7 (B Kumar 4-8)

Day five report

India captain Virat Kohli scored his 50th international century but had to settle for a draw in the first Test as Sri Lanka somehow managed to stave off defeat in a dramatic finale in Kolkata

After Kohli's rapid 104 not out helped set Sri Lanka a token 231 to win in just over a session, India's bowlers very nearly snatched an incredible win for the hosts.

They had reduced Sri Lanka to 75 for seven - as well as seeing two late out verdicts overturned on review - before fading light led to the umpires calling an end to proceedings at around 1630 local time.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished with impressive figures of four for eight off 11 overs, while his fellow seamers Mohammed Shami (two for 34) and Umesh Yadav (one for 25) provided the back-up.

With those three players also sharing all 10 Sri Lanka first-innings wickets between them, India's spinners finished the match wicketless.

Earlier, India, having started the final day on 171 for one and leading by 49, powered their way to 352 for eight declared with Kohli dominating after opener Lokesh Rahul had fallen early for 79.

Kohli brought up his 18th Test century - and 50th for his country in all formats - with a six before immediately declaring. He had struck 12 fours and two sixes in total, having faced 119 balls.

Day four report

Shikhar Dhawan struck 94 to help India move into the lead in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Kolkata.

Dhawan hit 11 fours and two sixes in his 116-ball stay and shared an opening-wicket stand of 166 with Lokesh Rahul (73 not out) as the hosts closed on 171 for one - a lead of 49.

Cheteshwar Pujara was unbeaten on two at the other end when stumps were called.

Earlier, Rangana Herath made 67 from number nine to help extend the tourists' total to 294 and a useful first-innings lead of 122.

Herath found the boundary nine times in his third Test half-century, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar (four for 88) and Mohammed Shami (four for 100) shared eight wickets for India.

Day three report

Lahiru Thirimanne and Angelo Mathews scored half-centuries as Sri Lanka took charge of the first Test against India in Kolkata.

After struggling with the bat for the first two rain-hit days, India's tail impressed on Saturday to drag their side to 172 all out but the visitors were 165 for four in response before bad light stopped play in the evening session.

Cheteshwar Pujara completed a half-century, adding five more to his overnight 47 before being bowled by Lahiru Gamage.

That left the hosts 79 for six but 93 runs were added for the final four wickets, with Wriddhiman Saha (29), Ravindra Jadeja (22) and Mohammed Shami (24) all offering resistance.

Sri Lanka lost openers Sadeera Samarawickrama and Dimuth Karunaratne early on, but Thirimanne (51) and Mathews (52) recorded a 99-run stand for the third wicket to put their side in control.

Umesh Yadav removed the pair in successive overs but visiting captain Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella reached the close unscathed and will resume their 27-run partnership on Sunday morning.

Day two report

Cheteshwar Pujara stood firm against a relentless Sri Lanka as India stumbled to 74-5 before rain cut short the second day of the first Test on Friday.

Fast bowler Dasun Shanaka struck twice on a cloudy morning session at Kolkata's Eden Gardens as the hosts struggled to improve on their overnight 17-3.

Pujara, batting on 47, and wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha, on six, were at the crease when rain halted play for the day before lunch.

Pujara's overnight partner Ajinkya Rahane became Shanaka's first victim, caught behind for four after a tentative 21-ball stay at the crease.

Shanaka, playing just his second Test after his debut against England last year, also got Ravichandran Ashwin for four, putting the hosts in trouble at 50-5.

Pujara, starting the day on eight, hit out when he could, finding the boundary nine times during his 102-ball stay so far.

Meanwhile, Suranga Lakmal, who took three wickets in six maiden overs on Thursday,

Lakmal's victims included India skipper Virat Kohli on day one, when adverse weather allowed only 11.5 overs to be played.

Twenty-one overs were bowled on the second day as the wet start to the three-Test series continued.

Day one report

Suranga Lakmal delivered a remarkable opening spell as Sri Lanka took control on day one of the first Test of their tour of India despite only 11.5 overs of play being possible at Eden Gardens.

The 30-year-old seamer took three wickets without conceding a run from his six overs as the hosts slumped to 17 for three.

A green pitch and thick cloud cover offered plenty of assistance for the bowlers, and Lakmal took full advantage in between rain delays.

Rain pushed the start back by more than four hours, with Sri Lanka becoming only the second team since 1969 to elect to field after winning the toss in Kolkata.

It proved to be the correct call, as Lakmal had Lokesh Rahul caught behind with the first ball of the day.

Shikhar Dhawan chopped on to his own stumps for eight in the seventh over and, after another hour was lost to bad light, Lakmal pinned India skipper Virat Kohli lbw for a duck.

Cheteshwar Pujara (eight not out) and Ajinkya Rahane, who is yet to score, will be charged with attempting to rebuild the India innings on day two.

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