India smashed as many as 417 runs in the opening day’s play of the second test at Kanpur. Gautam Gambhir top scored with 167 from 215 balls while his partner Virender Sehwag came up with 131 from 122 balls. The opening pair put on a terrific stand of 233 in just over 40 overs against an attack that had Muralitharan, Herath and Mendis.

It was a good toss to win for Dhoni’s team as the Green Park pitch is expected to crumble and keep low as the match goes ahead. Sehwag was put down by the keeper and first slip in the very first over when he had not even opened his account. After a watchful first hour, Sehwag along with Gambhir got used to the slow pace of the wicket and what followed in the rest of the morning session and the afternoon one was a wonderful display of strokeplay by both the openers.

By the time Sri Lanka could break the opening partnership which was in the 42nd over, India had raced away to 233! Sehwag was the first to go after driving Murali in the air to covers but not before he had set up the match with a dominating 18th test century. His innings contained a couple off sixes which came against Ajantha Mendis. Gautam Gambhir lasted a little longer than Sehwag and was key to another solid partnership in the day for India. The left hander put on 137 with the inform Rahul Dravid before getting brilliantly caught and bowled by Muralitharan. Gambhir’s 167 had 15 fours and most of his runs had come from some superb running. It was his 8th test hundred and the second consecutive one against Sri Lanka.

At close of play, Rahul Dravid (85* from 153 balls with 8 fours) consolidated India’s position with an unbeaten stand of 47 with Sachin Tendulkar (20* from 53 balls). The hosts had made two changes going into this match with Sreesanth and Pragyan Ojha replacing Ishant Sharma and birthday boy Amit Mishra. Sri Lanka brought in Ajantha Mendis in the place of the injured Dammika Prasad.

Tags: Gautam Gambhir, India Vs Sri Lanka, Virender Sehwag