Daijiworld Media Network - Galle
Galle, Aug 16: Relentless stop-start rain on Sunday finally relented, paving the way for play to resume on day two of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium, with action scheduled to begin at 2:35 pm.
The morning session was completely washed out, while the afternoon session was delayed. Bright sunshine eventually broke through the rain and clouds, allowing ground staff to remove the covers and prepare the playing surface.
Play was initially scheduled to resume at 2:15 pm, but a brief spell of rain later pushed the start time back to 2:35 pm.
The tea break will be taken from 4 pm to 4:20 pm, with the final session scheduled from 4:20 pm to 5:45 pm. The day's play can also be extended by an additional 30 minutes to make up for overs lost due to weather interruptions.
Play was originally scheduled to begin 15 minutes ahead of the usual time at 9:45 am local time to compensate for overs lost to bad weather on day one. However, due to Sunday's rain, officials are now targeting 43 overs on the second day.
India had ended their 20-Test wait for a century from the crucial number three position on Saturday, with left-hander Devdutt Padikkal hitting a stroke-filled unbeaten 131 off 178 balls to take the visitors to a commanding 288/2 in 73 overs in their landmark 600th Test.
Padikkal received strong support from vice-captain KL Rahul, who, despite periods of caution, scored a fluent 77 before retiring hurt with forearm cramps.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was run out for 32 following a chaotic mix-up, while India captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for 16. Rishabh Pant was unbeaten on 27 alongside Padikkal when stumps were drawn on day one.
Sri Lanka struggled to maintain sustained pressure despite occasional sharp turn from the pitch for the spinners. With the second new ball just seven overs away, the hosts face a difficult task in restricting India's dominance once play resumes.
The match is also the 50th Test to be played at the Galle International Stadium.