India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Full Commentary

Wrapping up - That brings us to the end of a long opening day in Galle, with India firmly in control and Sri Lanka facing a big task to find a way back into the contest. With plenty of time lost to rain, we will have an early start on Day 2 at 4.15 am GMT (9.45 am IST). Do join us early for all the build-up before another big day of Test cricket gets underway. Cheers!

A century to remember - India had a few twists to deal with in the final session, with KL Rahul forced to retire hurt on 77 after cramping up before facing a ball and Shubman Gill departing after a fluent 16, falling to Prabath Jayasuriya. Padikkal, though, kept his composure through a couple of nervy moments on 98 and 99 to complete a memorable maiden Test hundred. With the ball beginning to turn more, debutant Keshara Nuwantha showed enough to keep things interesting, but Pant was in no mood to sit back, taking the attack on alongside the centurion. The pair added 52 before bad light brought an end to play, leaving India in a commanding position and Sri Lanka still searching for that elusive breakthrough.

Padikkal and Rahul tighten the screws - The second session was every bit as productive for India, although rain ensured it did not begin until more than an hour later. Once play resumed, KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal picked up where they had left off, showing tremendous composure even as the surface began offering a hint of turn. Both batters brought up well-deserved fifties, with Padikkal particularly fluent, and the partnership continued to grow to 150. Sri Lanka simply could not find the breakthrough they needed, with a few edges also failing to carry to the fielders, as India marched to 197/1 by Tea and firmly seized control of the opening day.

The openers lay the foundation - India made an emphatic start to their historic 600th Test, taking the opening session firmly by the scruff of the neck. After choosing to bat, the visitors raced along with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul looking comfortable, before an unfortunate run out ended Jaiswal’s stay for 32. That barely slowed India down, though, as Devdutt Padikkal joined Rahul and the pair settled in beautifully. Sri Lanka struggled to find the consistency needed to create pressure, and India went into lunch at 101/1, with Rahul and Padikkal unbeaten on 32 and 35 respectively.

India dominate opening day - India enjoyed a hugely encouraging opening day in Galle, gradually taking a firm grip on the contest and leaving Sri Lanka with plenty of questions to answer. Despite the rain interruptions and a few moments when the surface offered something to the bowlers, the visitors remained composed and kept the scoreboard moving throughout. Sri Lanka struggled to build any sustained pressure, while India’s batting depth and control ensured they finished the day in an imposing position at 288/2. With plenty of time still left in the Test, the hosts already have a mountain to climb.

12.30 pm GMT (6 pm IST) - STUMPS, DAY 1 - The umpires have had a discussion and decided that the light is no longer good enough for play to continue. They have therefore called Stumps due to bad light, with the reading taken at this point set to serve as the reference mark for the remaining days of the Test.

The light is starting to fade away now.