Kolkata, Nov 20: The opening Test of the three-match series between India and Sri Lanka ended in a dramatic draw after the fifth day's play was stopped early due to bad light here at the Eden Gardens on Monday.
Resuming at yesterday's score of 171-1, skipper Virat Kohli smashed a brilliant knock of 104, including 12 boundaries and six fifties, off just 119 deliveries to help India post a respectable second-innings score of 352-8 declared.
It was Kohli's 18th Test hundred and 50th international century. He surpassed Dilip Vengsarkar (17) in the list of maximum centuries in the longest format of the game, but is still behind Mohammed Azharuddin (22), Virender Sehwag (23), Sunil Gavaskar (34), Rahul Dravid (36) and Tendulkar (51).
By scoring his 50th century, he is now the joint fastest to reach the milestone in terms of innings played, along with South Africa's Hashim Amla (348 innings).
Meanwhile, right-handed batsman Cheteshwar Pujara added yet another feather to his cap as he became only the third Indian cricketer to bat on all five days of a Test match when he resumed the match on Day 5 alongside opener KL Rahul.
He had joined KL Rahul at the crease yesterday when Shikhar Dhawan departed after smashing a scorching knock of 94 off 116 deliveries.
Pujara, however, failed to replicate his first-innings fireworks and went back to pavillion after scoring just 22. Rahul, who was dismissed for a duck in the first innings, finished with a brilliant 79-run knock.
Besides these three batsmen, none of the other Indian cricketers were able to contribute much to the hosts' second innings.
For Sri Lanka, Suranga Lakmal and Dasun Shanaka bagged three wickets each, while Lahiru Gamage and Dilruwan Perera finished with a wicket each.
Chasing a target of 231 runs to win, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami ran through the Sri Lankan line up and got India just three wickets short of a well-deserved victory only for poor light to stop play.
Captain Dinesh Chandimal (20) and Niroshan Dickwella (27) were the only Lankan players to contribute some runs in their side's innings.
Bhuvneshwar was the pick of the bowlers as he finished with the figures of four for eight, while Shami picked up two wickets. Umesh Yadav also chipped in with a wicket.
Earlier, Lanka posted a first innings score of 294 in reply to India's lowly total of 172 after bad light and rain played the spoilsport and forced to call off the opening Test two days early.
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