Suresh Raina and VVS Laxman guided India to lunch with a fighting stand after a combination of some attacking bowling and reckless batting gave the hosts a couple of early breakthroughs, putting them in control in the first hour of play.Still fresh to Test cricket, Raina batted with determination and helped India rebuild just as he had in friendlier conditions on his way to a debut century at the SSC. Though a touch vulnerable against Suraj Randiv, who got the ball to spit and troubled him with deceptive turn, Raina ensured he didn't get bogged down for extended periods, working the singles with Laxman who was a little more assured at the other end. He defended solidly, met the length deliveries with a forward stride and improvised with minimal risk. He pulled, swept and drove Ajantha Mendis, and picked Tillakarate Dilshan for boundaries through the leg side.
Randiv rarely offered freebies and stuck to a round-the-wicket approach. The batsmen were uncertain while trying to gauge the extent of turn, often playing for some when there wasn't much, and were surprised by the bounce. Raina erred twice by offering his pads to deliveries angled in, Laxman survived an lbw shout when playing inside the line, Virender Sehwag was fortunate when he was struck in line but not given, and got an inside edge onto his pads to evade the short-leg fielder.
Sehwag, who had brought India on level terms yesterday with a blistering knock, reached three figures by dispatching a long hop. But when Kumar Sangakkara brought in a silly point, he opted to cart Randiv over extra cover when the shot wasn't on. The ball was back of a length, struck high on the bat and lobbed up to Malinga. That wicket followed the departure of Sachin Tendulkar in the first over, who, after being roughed up by a couple of short deliveries from Malinga, was drawn into chasing a widish one to feather a catch behind.
India, despite the early losses, appeared secure thanks to pair of Laxman and Raina maintaining the fluency of the innings. Laxman picked Malinga's deceptive slower ones early and dealt well with deliveries that were pitched short. He cut and pulled Randiv for boundaries early in his innings, punched Chanaka Welegedera through the covers and inflicted the same treatment on Malinga whe he offered some width to end the session on a satisfactory note.
