As the beleaguered Indian cricket team start picking up pieces after a forgettable first Test, the spotlight is firmly fixed on team's senior-most pro Harbhajan Singh whose unimpressive show in the 63-run defeat has raised question marks about his future.
Fiery home opener Kusal Perera had a wild swing at a delivery outside off stump and was caught by Joe Root high above his head at first slip for 6.
The Sri Lankan spinner was reported for a suspect action after last month's opening Test against New Zealand in Galle.
Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's residence in the city of Kurunegala in the north-western province was set on fire on Monday, hours after the leader tendered his resignation.
The doctor who attended to the Jadavpur MP said it was too early to link her illness with the fake jab that she had taken four days ago, they said.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan could be one of the biggest attractions in the inaugural Lanka Premier League (LPL) as he is among the 70 foreign players who have expressed interest in competing in the event starting August 28.
Captain Dimuth Karunaratne continued his rich vein of form to remain unbeaten on 49 with Angelo Mathews yet to score as only 36.3 overs of play were possible due to rain and bad light.
It was a vastly improved effort on the home side's first innings score of 135, as they chase down England's first innings total of 421.
'There is fear that the president and prime minister are dragging their feet and won't resign.'
Firecrackers went off in the stadium as Muttiah Muralitharan stepped out to bat in his swansong Test and players from both India and Sri Lanka also did their bit to make the spin wizard's farewell match a memorable affair.
Chasing 164 to win, opener Zak Crawley was dismissed in the second session before Dom Sibley and Jos Buttler took the hosts to victory.
'India are very, very patient but if you are willing to be patient and bowl all day you will take wickets'
Joe Root scored a breezy, unbeaten 67 and will resume on the third morning with Jonny Bairstow, who has 24.
Dom Bess claimed five wickets as England dismissed hosts Sri Lanka for 135
Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath, the most successful left-arm spinner in Test history, will retire after the series opener against England in Galle next month, local media reported on Monday.
Amritsar-based Sohan Singh and Mohan Singh who are joined in the hip exercised their franchise for the first time in the Punjab assembly polls on Sunday.
Former Sri Lanka skippers Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene lavished praise on compatriot Lasith Malinga after the fast bowler announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Tuesday.
Diamantaire Mehul Choksi has landed in Antigua and Barbuda, where he has been staying since 2018 after leaving India, after 51 days of custody in neighbouring Dominica for illegal entry which his lawyers claim was a kidnapping plan, local media reported. Choksi, 62, was given bail by Dominica High Court to travel back to Antigua for seeking medical help from a neurologist based there. After depositing bail money of EC Dollars 10,000, Choksi in a shirt and shorts flew back to Antigua in a chartered plane, Antigua News Room reported.
Sri Lanka's Akila Dananjaya spun a web around New Zealand's batsmen, picking up all five wickets on a rain-shortened opening day of the first Test in Galle on Wednesday. Experienced batsman Ross Taylor held firm with an unbeaten 86 against the guile of Dananjaya to take the touring side to 203 for five when rain forced early stumps.
Mahinda Rajapaksa, along with his wife and family, fled his official residence -- Temple Trees -- and took shelter at the naval base in Trincomalee.
Moeen had tested positive, on Monday, upon arriving in Sri Lanka and will now continue his 10-day self-isolation in a separate wing of the visitors' team hotel
The presidential secretariat which was occupied by the protesters from July 9 till Friday last is re-opened and the staff reported to work on Monday, officials said.
Root said that spinning tracks will throw challenges to the visiting team but they are adapting to the conditions quickly.
England resumed the day on 98 for two having lost their openers cheaply for the third time in as many innings this series.
Sri Lanka's top cricket administrators say it is difficult to believe allegations of pitch-fixing in a 2016 Test match against Australia which have triggered a probe by the International Cricket Council.
In Maharashtra, Bhagat Singh Koshyari has done pretty much as he liked, observes Aditi Phadnis.
Sanjib Jha, CEO, Coverfox Insurance Broking, answers your health insurance related queries.
Jonny Bairstow has been rested and injured pacer Jofra Archer was left out while spinner Moeen Ali was unavailable for Test selection.
'No one in Sri Lanka could afford to stay at home, everyone came onto the street.'
Kane Williamson bowled just three overs during the second innings of the first Test which Sri Lanka won by six wickets.
When the first flight arrived at Kushinagar airport on Wednesday, it was not Gota or Mahinda who stepped out, but another Rajapaksa. Namal Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka's minister of sports.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah marks his return to the national men's team as Pakistan on Wednesday announced an 18-member squad for next month's two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
'The worry among many international actors is whether there will be stability to provide assistance to the government because the political developments in the last few months are a real concern.'
Wickremesinghe will resign after an all-party government is established and the majority is secured in Parliament.
'(And) we've got a fourth guy who's a regular opener for India who's not fit (Vijay). We've got all four openers firing now. Shikhar was supposed to go (home) to Melbourne, now he's got a 190 in Galle. So, anything can happen in life'
The President had been moved out of his residence on Friday, in anticipation of Saturday's protests.
Root thanks England fan over phone for his support.
The Kashmir Files has done a commendable job in highlighting the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, but has dealt only with the local factors. The cover-up has multiple reasons and it is time that a debate is begun to unmask the culprits who hid the truth, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
The national selectors have rested Bairstow, Sam Curran, and Mark Wood for the first two Tests in India.
The Australian newspaper reported on Saturday the documentary will allege spot-fixers bribed the groundsman at Galle to doctor the pitch used for the 2016 second Test between hosts Sri Lanka and Australia.
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