Opening barrage rocks Sri Lanka

Gautam Gambhir continued his astonishing run in Tests with a dominant knock of 167, his seventh century in nine matches

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Centuries from openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag left India in almost complete control after the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Kanpur.

Gambhir hit a superb 167, his seventh century in the last nine Tests, while Sehwag overcame a tentative start to clobber a typically blistering 131. The pair added 233 for the opening wicket on a placid surface at Green Park.

Rahul Dravid then pressed home the advantage with an unbeaten 85 as India finished the day on 417 for two. Sachin Tendulkar, who joined Dravid in the final hour, was 20 not out.

Kumar Sangakkara’s depleted attack was hammered around the park as India’s top order ensured there was no dramatic capitulation as in the first innings in Ahmedabad. Sri Lanka picked three spinners in Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath and the recalled Ajantha Mendis.

Sehwag was uncharacteristically scratchy in the first hour and was dropped by Mahela Jayawardene at first slip on nought, before going on to dominate the opening stand.

He broke the shackles by driving Angelo Mathews for his first boundary and followed that with a pull to the midwicket fence, both in the 12th over.

There was no looking back thereafter as he quickly overtook Gambhir and reached his 16th Test century off just 97 deliveries by turning Muralitharan for a boundary to fine-leg.

Sehwag hammered Muralitharan for three consecutive fours as India sped past the 200-mark in the afternoon session and continued to accumulate runs at a breathtaking pace before Muralitharan made the breakthrough.

Virender Sehwag and Gambhir amassed 233 together, and chose to bat in caps against Sri Lanka's trio of spinners

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Sehwag drove at a delivery with a little more air and picked out Tillakaratne Dilshan at extra cover. Their alliance was India's third-highest for the first wicket.

Gambhir, who had provided the early momentum, slowed as he neared his century but got there in style, skipping down the track to hit Herath for a straight boundary.

Together with Dravid, Gambhir added 137 for the second wicket, the run rate falling below five an over in the final session as Sri Lanka brought some pressure to bear.

Gambhir was Muralitharan’s second success on an otherwise poor day for Sri Lanka’s bowlers, the off-spinner brilliantly latching onto a return catch.

Dravid had batted steadily, if slowly in comparison to the openers, but proved just as effective.

He reached his half-century – his 58th in Tests – by sweeping Muralitharan for a single.

Sri Lanka took the second new ball with four overs remaining but Dravid and Tendulkar played cautiously to finish the day unbeaten.

Mendis, who took injured fast bowler Dammika Prasad’s place, conceded 87 from 19 overs, while Herath leaked 91 from 18 overs.