India 88/2 at lunch in 2nd Test: Jaiswal's 45 ends in Fernando flashpoint
Synopsis
Jaiswal's 45 in Colombo ended not with applause but with a flashpoint — a face-to-face confrontation with Fernando after being bowled that may yet cost him a fine. India are steady at 88/2, but the altercation is the session's defining image.
Key Takeaways
India reached 88/2 in 25 overs at lunch on Day 1 of the 2nd Test vs Sri Lanka at the SSC Ground, Colombo on 23 August .
Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored with 45 before being bowled by Asitha Fernando , triggering a heated on-field confrontation.
Jaiswal faces a potential significant fine from match referee Andy Pycroft over the altercation.
KL Rahul fell for 18 , caught behind off Lahiru Kumara (1-19).
Devdutt Padikkal (13*) and captain Shubman Gill (11*) were unbeaten at the lunch interval.
Two dropped catches — by Sonal Dinusha and captain Dhananjaya de Silva — gave India crucial reprieves early in the session.
India reached 88/2 in 25 overs at lunch on Day 1 of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in Colombo on 23 August, after an eventful opening session that featured two wickets, two dropped catches, and a fiery on-field confrontation between Yashasvi Jaiswal and pacer Asitha Fernando. Devdutt Padikkal and captain Shubman Gill were unbeaten at the break on 13 and 11 respectively.
How India Batted
Having elected to bat first after winning the toss, openers Jaiswal and KL Rahul made a measured start, putting on 37 runs for the first wicket — with 30 of those coming via boundaries, predominantly through drives on fuller deliveries from the seamers. The Sri Lanka pacers generated enough seam movement to keep the openers honest, but boundaries remained the primary scoring route.
Rahul was eventually worked over by a short-pitched plan before nicking behind off a lazy cut shot to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella, off the bowling of Lahiru Kumara, for 18. Padikkal arrived at the crease and endured a nervy start — he was dropped at backward point by Sonal Dinusha off Kumara before getting off the mark.
Jaiswal's Aggression and the Fernando Flashpoint
Two overs later, Jaiswal himself earned a reprieve when Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva spilled a regulation slip catch off off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha. Jaiswal responded to that let-off with a burst of aggression in the 17th over, dispatching Fernando for three consecutive boundaries — an elegant drive past mid-on, a ramp over slip, and a swivel pull through backward square leg.
Fernando, however, had the final word on the last ball of that over, nipping one back off the seam to bowl Jaiswal for 45. What followed was a tense, heated face-to-face exchange between the two players — reportedly involving physical contact through Jaiswal's helmet — before Sri Lanka captain de Silva stepped in to separate them. The incident is likely to attract scrutiny from match referee Andy Pycroft, with a significant fine reportedly possible for Jaiswal.
India's Position at Lunch
Gill joined Padikkal after the dismissal and the pair negotiated the remaining overs without further loss, taking India to the interval at 88/2. With both set batters at the crease, India will look to build a substantial total in the second session.
Brief Scores
India 88/2 in 25 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 45, KL Rahul 18; Lahiru Kumara 1-19, Asitha Fernando 1-25) vs Sri Lanka.
Point of View
Not dominant. But the story of this session is the Jaiswal-Fernando confrontation, which threatens to hand Sri Lanka a psychological edge and Jaiswal a disciplinary distraction heading into a crucial second session. India's top order has again shown fragility against seam movement, with both openers falling to pace. The dropped catches by Sri Lanka kept India afloat; without those reprieves, the lunch score could have looked very different. Gill and Padikkal now carry the weight of building a total that makes the session's drama worthwhile.
NationPress
23 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is India's score at lunch on Day 1 of the 2nd Test vs Sri Lanka?
India reached 88/2 in 25 overs at the lunch break on Day 1 of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the SSC Ground in Colombo on 23 August. Devdutt Padikkal (13*) and captain Shubman Gill (11*) were unbeaten at the interval.
What happened between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Asitha Fernando?
After Fernando bowled Jaiswal for 45 on the final ball of the 17th over, a heated face-to-face verbal altercation broke out between the two players, reportedly involving physical contact via Jaiswal's helmet. Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva intervened to separate them.
Could Yashasvi Jaiswal be fined for the on-field altercation?
Yes, the incident is reportedly under scrutiny from match referee Andy Pycroft, and Jaiswal could face a significant fine. The exact charge and penalty will depend on the match referee's assessment.
How did India's openers perform in the first session?
KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal put on 37 runs for the first wicket, with 30 of those coming via boundaries. Rahul fell for 18, caught behind off Lahiru Kumara, while Jaiswal made 45 before being bowled by Fernando.
Who took wickets for Sri Lanka in the morning session?
Lahiru Kumara took 1 wicket for 19 runs, dismissing KL Rahul, while Asitha Fernando took 1 wicket for 25 runs, bowling out Yashasvi Jaiswal. Sri Lanka also dropped two catches during the session.
