India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Full Commentary

6.49 am GMT (12.19 pm IST) - The umpires are out for an inspection, having a chat with one of the members of the ground staff. It is still a bit overcast, and the umpires are keeping an eye on the part of the ground where the weather is approaching. The covers have been put back on, with rain seemingly on the way.

... DAY 2, SESSION 2 ...

6.15 am GMT (11.45 am IST) - The rain has subsided, and the skies have brightened up. The second session is scheduled to commence at 6.50 am GMT (12.20 pm IST), but given the amount of rain we have had this morning, a prompt start looks a stretch even if the weather holds up. Let's hope for the best.

6.04 am GMT (11.34 am IST) - It's been that kind of day. Just as the ground staff were beginning to remove the covers, the heavens opened up. We have news coming in that early Lunch will be taken at 6.10 am GMT (11.40 am IST).

5.44 am GMT (11.14 am IST) - Oh, no. The covers are coming back on. It is not raining just yet, but the ground staff reckon a shower could be just around the corner. We saw something similar yesterday during the Lunch break, when the covers went on as a precaution, and the rain soon followed. Stick around for more news.

In conversation with Ravindra Jadeja - Sanjay Manjrekar has caught up with the Indian all-rounder. Jadeja says, as a spinner, he always looks forward to dry wickets with a few cracks, as they tend to offer more turn and bounce. He feels this pitch is on the drier side, with some deliveries turning while others have kept straight. He expects the turn and bounce to increase as the game progresses, giving the spinners plenty to enjoy. Jadeja recalls playing on rank turners in India and admits that such surfaces excite him as a spinner. He jokingly adds that he does not always prefer rank turners because he wants to score runs too. Ravindra says he always knew he had the ability with the bat, having generally batted at number 4 in domestic cricket, but found himself pushed down the order during his early days for India. Mentions that batting at number 6 helped him find his mojo. He feels his success with the bat in England came from limiting his shots and keeping things simple, something he also worked on mentally.

History made in Darwin - Bangladesh have secured their first-ever Test win in Australia, on their return to the country for Test cricket for the first time since 2003. The number 1-ranked Test side have been beaten at home by a team ranked 9th in the world. A result few would have seen coming, and one that will go down as one of the biggest upsets in Test cricket. One can only imagine the celebrations that will take place across Bangladesh as fans celebrate a historic victory that will be remembered for years to come.

4.58 am GMT (10.28 am IST) - The visuals show plenty of movement around the ground, with a number of ground staff members coming onto the field and getting to work. They are removing the tyres that were being used to weigh down the covers before starting to peel the covers off. And with Galle known for having one of the best ground staff teams around, they will be hoping to make the most of every minute and get the ground ready as quickly as possible.

4.45 am GMT (10.15 am IST) - The rain has finally stopped, but there is still a lot of water collected over the covers. With so much to clear, the ground staff will need a considerable amount of time to get everything under control, and it could take more than an hour before they are able to properly assess the playing conditions.

Game stopped due to : Rain Stoppage

4.19 am GMT (9.49 am IST) - Well, well, the unpredictability of Galle weather strikes again, this time in a good way. It has stopped raining. The entire ground was covered, so it will take a fair bit of time before we can get the action underway. Scratch that. The rain has returned, so the wait continues.

4.09 am GMT (9.39 am IST) - It continues to rain, and the start of play has been delayed. The forecast is for a stop-start kind of day, which will be frustrating for everyone involved, but it is what it is. The forecast looks similar for the days to come as well. All we can hope for is enough clear weather for either side to force a result, with India currently better placed to do so. Looks like it is going to be a long day, so settle in, grab a coffee and stick around with us.

3.45 am GMT (9.15 am IST) - We are 30 minutes away from the scheduled early start, and it is currently raining heavily in Galle. The entire ground has been covered, and it looks increasingly likely that we will have a delayed start. As we wait for the weather to improve in Galle, you can hop over to Darwin, where, riding on a ton from Cameron Green, Australia have pushed their lead to 50. And just as we type, Green has dragged one back onto the stumps, leaving Australia 9 down.

How's the weather looking? Galle witnessed a spell of heavy rain earlier this morning, and the covers were taken off after the rain subsided. They have since been put back on, though, with the ground staff expecting another shower. Reminder that play is scheduled to start 15 minutes early today to make up for the time lost yesterday due to rain, with the first ball at 4.15 am GMT (9.45 am IST). Let's hope the weather clears up in time and we get a prompt start to the day.

Bat once and bat big - That will be the aim for India. First-innings scores have been on the higher side at Galle of late, and it seems to be panning out that way here as well. The second new ball is just 7 overs away, and that will be a window Sri Lanka will need to make count if they are to limit India's total. More than anything, though, they will need to be far more disciplined with the ball than they were on Day 1.

Looking back at Day 1 - India's 600th Test began on the country's 80th Independence Day, and they marked the occasion with a dominant effort. Having won the toss, which is looking increasingly crucial given the conditions, India barely put a foot wrong yesterday, led by Devdutt Padikkal's maiden Test ton. The ball turned from the first session and the amount of turn increased as the day went on, but Sri Lanka's inconsistency in hitting the right areas meant they could not make the most of it.

Back for more - Hello and welcome, folks. Settle in for what promises to be an intriguing day of Test cricket, and let's hope the weather plays ball. Saturday belonged to India, but the beauty of this format is that it gives you a chance to fight your way back, just as in life. Sri Lanka will take the field hoping to conjure a comeback and make Sunday theirs.

... DAY 2, SESSION 1 ...

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.