Indian batter Gurnoor Brar lit up the final over of Day 2 in the warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI with a stunning display of power hitting. He smashed four sixes off the last five deliveries from Sri Lanka spinner Dilum Sudeera, earning a round of applause from India head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Gurnoor Brar’s Explosive Knock
Brar walked in during the final over and took charge immediately. He launched the first two balls for sixes, refused to give strike back to Devdutt Padikkal, and then smashed two more maximums off the last two deliveries. Brar remained unbeaten on 36 from just 18 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes in his explosive cameo. Gambhir was seen clapping from the dugout, visibly impressed by the youngster’s fearless approach.
India Finish Day 2 at 357/8
At stumps on Saturday, India reached 357 for 8 in 90 overs in response to Sri Lanka XI’s first innings total of 363 for 8 declared. Devdutt Padikkal anchored the innings with a magnificent unbeaten 142 off 164 balls, featuring 18 fours. He showed excellent concentration after retiring hurt on Day 1 and returned to continue his marathon knock.
Other Contributions with the Bat
Ravindra Jadeja contributed a solid 63 off 117 balls with seven fours before retiring out. KL Rahul made 40 before being bowled by Kesara Nuvanta in the 24th over. Rishabh Pant managed just 2 runs while Dhruv Jurel added only 1 run, both falling to Ramesh Mendis. Manav Suthar scored 41 off 70 balls while Mohammed Siraj managed just 1 run before being dismissed by Asanka Manoj. Saransh Jain retired hurt after scoring 22 runs.
Match Context and Series Ahead
The three-day practice match is being played in Colombo as preparation for the upcoming two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka. The first Test is scheduled to begin on August 15. Shubman Gill, who suffered a finger injury on Day 1, did not take the field on Day 2 with KL Rahul leading the side in his absence. Sri Lanka XI posted 363 runs in their first innings after winning the toss and electing to bat first on Friday.
