Vijay's fifty leads India to 116/2 at lunch on Day 1

NEW DELHI: After missing 11 Tests for India, Shikhar Dhawan made a roaring comeback at Galle in July this year with a score of 190 on a belter of a wicket. And that helped him take the pole position for the opener's slot, pushing KL Rahul down.

Dhawan managed another 100 plus score and a 94 in the next three Tests and after missing the 2nd Test India vs Sri Lanka Test, the left-hander would have hoped for an encore of the Galle innings, this time at this home ground of the Feroz Shah Kotla during day one of the third Test; but that was not to be.He perished for 23 and soon after Cheteshwar Pujara also walked back for the same score - both missing out on a belter of a wicket. Murali Vijay looked steady and Virat Kohli aggressive as India took lunch at 116 for the loss of two wickets.

Despite starting off well, Dhawan became Dilruwan Perera's 100 Test wicket when his attempted sweep shot was taken at deep backward square leg. Dhawan had gifted his wicket away. Prior to that, after Kohli opted to bat first, Murali Vijay opened the innings with two back-to-back boundaries. By the fifth over, the military medium of Lahiru Gamage and the lack of consistency from Suranga Lakmal aided the openers as the took five boundaries. With only the early conditions assisting the pacers, Indian openers had it easy and despite the introduction of spin in the form of Perera did hint at any exciting passage of play.

But against the run of play, Dhawan went for the ill-advised shot. In walked Pujara to join Vijay and the duo looked set for the long haul. Vijay was sublime taking seven boundaries - all creased en route to his 16th Test fifty. In a hope to make things work, Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal used his bowlers in short burst that helped him with the wicket of Pujara. Taking four boundaries during his stay for 39 deliveries, Pujara was seldom challenged, but a Gamage legside delivery prompted the Saurashtra player to play a leg glance only to find Sadeera Samarawickrama take a sharp catch at gully.Kohli amped things with confident looking shots taking three boundaries for his 17 runs.