Asked to bat first, India suffered a terrible setback as the first two Test wickets of Lakshya Raichandani and centurion Sagar Virk were dismissed for ducks, reducing the visitors to 0/2. When Sri Lanka got the chance, Ojha responded with surprising maturity, absorbing the pressure before slowly taking control of the innings.
The left-hander’s unbeaten 103 was off 177 and showed patience, sound skill and controlled aggression. He tackled the new ball bravely, changed the batting style and took advantage of scoring opportunities to keep Sri Lanka from winning. His partnership with captain Yashbardhan Chauhan and Manal Chauhan changed the course of the tournament. Yashbardhan scored a quick-fire 78 off 89 balls, while Manal made an unbeaten 55 off 108 balls as the duo ensured that India would not lose again after three dismissals.
Despite their early success, the Sri Lankan bowlers struggled to contain the opposition as Ojha settled in, the left-hander growing in conviction as his innings progressed. Bad light led to an early delay, leaving India in the lead with seven wickets in hand.
After the opening Test, India will be eager to build on the platform created by Ojha and set a strong lead when play resumes on day two.
