Virender Sehwag puts India on even terms

Virender Sehwag led an aggressive Indian response to Sri Lanka's challenging score on a competitive pitch on the second day at the P Sara Oval. Thilan Samaraweera thwarted India's quest for early wickets with an assured century amid testing spells from Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha, but Sehwag's counter-attack, with some fortune, helped the visitors even things out.

The signs were encouraging for Sri Lanka at the start of the Indian innings with the seamers finding swing while their opponents had produced virtually none. Lasith Malinga targeted the blockhole and hurled a couple of sharp bouncers, while Chanaka Welegedara got the ball to dart in. But the helpful conditions did not produce the edginess Sri Lanka would have hoped from the Indian openers, as Sehwag settled in with three consecutive boundaries - through point, mid-on and over midwicket - off Welegedera, who had dismissed him twice in the Galle Test.

The ploy then had been to frustrate Sehwag with short deliveries outside off until he finally chased one to be caught at slip or gully. Angelo Mathews tried the same from round the wicket at the SSC and failed, and Welegedera's persistence in this Test was countered with calculated force. Vacant spaces were picked in the leg side with Sehwag slamming Welegedera over midwicket and square-leg for a clutter of boundaries. When they were pitched a touch wider, Sehwag flat-batted through mid-off. Amid the targeted assault against Welegedera - struck for nine fours - Sehwag braved a thorny spell from Malinga, who ruffled him with the bouncer and kept him on his toes with the deceptive slower one. But it was against Malinga that he played his best shot of the day - a punched back-foot drive past the umpire.