India's Devdutt Padikkal and Skipper Shubman Gill run between wickets during Day 1 of the second Test cricket match against Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club, in Colombo on Sunday. com in Colombo: Throughout the day, Sri Lanka remained very chirpy and carried an air of hostility in the middle.

The fast bowlers bent their backs, close-in fielders wagged their tongues, and words flew thick and fast amid the mundanities of Day 1. The encouraging bounce off the surface helped, but Sri Lanka deserve all the credit for firing up proceedings with their four-man attack.

While the scoreboard suggests otherwise, it was a gripping contest where patience remained the buzzword. Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara made the good length their territory and regularly resorted to some chin music to make things happen.

Amid all the drama, a passage of play after lunch saw Devdutt Padikkal and Shubman Gill give nothing away with their assured footwork, impeccable shot selection and solid defence, offering a trailer of what the future could hold. For over 35 overs, the left-right pair frustrated the hosts, grinding out their runs in old-fashioned style.

They operated with considerable calmness, which the situation demanded after the early turbulence, the theatrics, send-off and animation after the Jaiswal wicket. The Day 1 juices were still flowing in the surface, and the hosts showed no hospitality.

The scoreboard read 66/2, and India never felt in with an edgy start. The runs were scored at a fair clip, but Jaiswal's approach and Rahul's mode of dismissal kept the opposition interested.

Gill knew the toss advantage had to be capitalised on, so he dropped anchor with Padikkal. Though the runs were not scored rapidly, their handling of that phase created a sense of flow.

They played some gorgeous drives interspersed with blocks, dabs and assured leaves, complementing each other really well. Galle [Sri Lanka], Aug 15 (ANI): India's Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Shubman Gill run between wickets during day 1 of the 1st Test match against Sri Lanka, at Galle International Stadium in Galle on Saturday.

(ANI Photo) If Galle was all about ending the long wait for the weight of runs from the No. 3, Colombo will be remembered for a partnership which could become the central piece of India's batting.

This was only the third time India's No. 3 and No.