India set Sri Lanka mammoth 447 after Pant, Shreyas fifties

Rishabh Pant (50) and Shreyas Iyer (67) hit fine half-centuries as India posted 303 for 9 in their second innings, setting Sri Lanka an improbable target of 447.

The visitors lost Lahiru Thirimanne for a duck in the first over as Jasprit Bumrah got one to swing back sharply. Sri Lanka went to stumps on Day 2 at 28/1.

During India’s innings, Pant broke Kapil Dev’s record for the fastest 50 by an Indian in Tests as the hosts continued their domination over Sri Lanka in the pink-ball Test in Bengaluru.

Pant hammered a half-century off just 28 balls, overtaking the previous record held by Kapil (30 balls). He smashed seven fours and two sixes during his innings as the hosts' lead crossed the 300-run mark.

Pant slashed the second ball he faced from Praveen Jayawickrama over deep midwicket for a maximum and carried on from there.

His record half-century was registered off the same bowler as he whacked a tossed-up delivery to the extra cover boundary. The left-hander fell immediately after, skying a catch while attempting another big hit.

Shreyas carried on from his 92 in the first innings. He displayed good footwork and stroked his way to 67 in 87 balls with the aid of nine fours. The in-form batter was eventually trapped lbw by Lasith Embuldeniya.

Ravindra Jadeja contributed 22 while Mohammed Shami remained unbeaten on 16 from eight balls. India declared after Axar Patel (9) was bowled by Embuldeniya with one that spun sharply.

Earlier, India got off to a confident start in their second innings after bowling out Sri Lanka for 109. Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma added 42 before the former edged Embuldeniya to gully for 22.

Rohit and Hanuma Vihari put India in command with a second-wicket stand of 56. However, the India captain yet again failed to convert a start. On 46, he holed out to long-on, trying to go after Dhananjaya de Silva.

Vihari survived a couple of close lbw shouts as Sri Lanka refused to take the DRS. However, he couldn't ride his luck and was bowled for 35 by Jayawickrama as he failed to connect his sweep.

Virat Kohli (13) was trapped lbw for the second time in the Test by a ball that kept low and walked back with a rueful smile.

Bumrah claims five-for as Sri Lanka fold for 109

India needed only 5.5 overs to pick up Sri Lanka's remaining four wickets on Day 2 of the pink-ball Test in Bengaluru. Bumrah completed a five-for and finished with figures of 5 for 24 while Ravichandran Ashwin claimed the other two wickets to fall.

Bumrah struck the first blow for the hosts as Embuldeniya (1) top-edged a short ball to the keeper. In the next over, Ashwin cleaned up Suranga Lakmal (5) with a carrom ball.

Niroshan Dickwella’s resistance ended on 21 as he gloved another short one from Bumrah to the keeper, giving the pacer his first five-wicket haul in India.

The Sri Lankan innings came to a swift end on 109 as Vishwa Fernando (8) was clueless against Ashwin and ended up getting stumped.