Rishabh Pant’s magnificent 96 puts India in command.

Rishabh Pant stole the show on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Punjab Cricket Association’s IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Friday, scoring a counterattacking 96 in Virat Kohli’s 100th Test.

India reached 357 for 6 at stumps on Day 1 after winning the toss and deciding to bat, with  Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin unbeaten at the crease. Sri Lanka were unable to fulfil their entire 90-over quota, but India may have knocked them out of the tournament with a strong performance on the first day of the historic Test.

Pant’s robust and speedy 104-run sixth-wicket partnership was a bystander throughout. From the opening delivery, the Indian wicketkeeper attacked and raced to 96 off 97 deliveries before being taken out by Suranga Lakmal with the second new ball.

Pant targeted the Sri Lanka spinners after reaching fifty in 73 balls, hitting four sixes and nine boundaries. Pant smashed Lasith Embuldeniya for 22 runs in an over, delighting the Mohali crowd, which was on its feet cheering the fiery wicketkeeper as he made his way back to the pavilion, distraught after being dismissed in the 90s for the fifth time in his career.