Ashwin, Sharma rattle SL

NAGPUR, India: Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Sharma led a powerful bowling display by India to skittle out Sri Lanka for 205 on the opening day of the second Test.

The hosts were 11 for one at the close, trailing by 194 runs, after opener Lokesh Rahul fell for seven, bowled by Sri Lankan paceman Lahiru Gamage.Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara, both on two, were batting at the close in Nagpur. The day belonged to India’s bowlers however. Ashwin took four wickets and fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja and Sharma three each.

Skipper Dinesh Chandimal top-scored for Sri Lanka with 57 while opener Dimuth Karunaratne made 51 on a green pitch that helped India’s fast bowlers.Sharma, who got Karunaratne after lunch, made the most of the favourable conditions to claim his three wickets for just 37 runs. The spinners then took centre stage once the sun came out. Ashwin trapped Chandimal lbw to put the visitors in trouble.

Chandimal, who hit a six in his 122-ball knock, was given not out by the on-field umpire but skipper Virat Kohli called for a review which went in India’s favour.Chandimal and Karunaratne, who registered his 14th Test fifty, put on a crucial 62-run stand for the fourth wicket before the Indian bowlers struck back.

Wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella also tried to resist before falling to Jadeja’s left-arm spin.Sri Lanka lost Sadeera Samarawickrama early after the opener edged a seaming delivery from Sharma to Cheteshwar Pujara at first slip for 13.Left-handers Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne then tried to resist a persistent Indian attack during a 24-run second wicket stand that lasted 121 balls.

Sri Lanka won toss

Sri Lanka 1st Innings 205 all-out (F Karunaratne 51; R Ashwin 4-67)

India 1st Innings

K L Rahul b Gamage 7

M Vijay not out 2

C A Pujara not out 2

Extras 0

Total (1 wickets; 8 Overs) 11

To bat: *V Kohli, A M Rahane, R G Sharma, R Ashwin, †W P Saha, R A Jadeja, U T Yadav, I Sharma

Fall: 1-7

Bowling: Lakmal 4-1-7-0; Gamage 4-2-4-1

Umpires: R Kettleborough (England) and J Wilson (West Indies). TV Umpires: N Llong (England). Match Referee: D Boon (Australia)