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Kohli cracks 50 tons but India held to draw

India captain hits sublime 50th international century before Sri Lanka rearguard earns draw in first Test at Eden Gardens

Skipper Virat Kohli scored his 50th international century Monday as India gave Sri Lanka a major scare before the first Test ended in a nerve-racking draw.

Sri Lanka were reduced to 7-75 with paceman Bhuvneshwar Kumar taking four wickets as the visitors chased 231 for victory.

Under intense pressure, Dasun Shanaka (six not out) and Rangana Herath (0) nervously played out the final few deliveries before bad light at Kolkata's Eden Gardens halted play.

Kohli's 119-ball 104 not out had put India on top and allowed them to declare their second innings on 9-352. The captain hit 12 fours and two sixes as he flayed the bowling.

"Feels good," Kohli said of his 18th Test century, to add to his 32 one-day centuries for India.

"My journey hasn't been long but I want to continue contributing, especially in situations like these," the 29-year-old captain said.

"If I can step up and perform, that will give me more pleasure than thinking about the number of hundreds I have. The mindset is always to go forward and help the team forward, and win Test matches."

Kumar struck in the very first over when Sadeera Samarawickrama chopped a delivery onto his stumps and was out for 0.

Mohammed Shami then had left-hander Lahiru Thirimanne bowled for one as the visitors slipped to 2-2 in 3.3 overs.

Umesh Yadav, India's third seamer, joined in by trapping former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews lbw for 12.

The match became even more tense when Shami bowled current skipper Dinesh Chandimal for 20 and Kumar, who returned impressive match figures of 8-96, trapped Niroshan Dickwella lbw for 27.

"He's grabbing his chances and is a massive contender to start every Test match for India. He'll do us good in overseas conditions and not just in home conditions," Kohli said of India's player of the match.

"He's going to be an important part of our plan going forward in all formats."

The hosts had resumed the day on 1-171 after Lokesh Rahul (79) and Shikhar Dhawan (94) staged a 166-run opening stand that saw India overcome a 122-run first innings deficit.

Sri Lanka's fast bowlers Suranga Lakmal and Shanaka took three wickets each to rattle the Indian top and middle-order.

But Kohli displayed his class in taming the attack towards the end of the innings.

He let out a roar and pumped his fist after getting to 100 with a six off Lakmal, who ended with match figures of 7-119.

India's Cheteshwar Pujara, who fell to Lakmal in the morning session, joined an elite list to have batted on all five days of a Test.

Pujara, who top-scored with 52 in India's first innings 172, put on his batting pads on each day of the game, which was marred by bad weather.

Only 32.5 overs were possible on the first two days before the weather cleared for the final three.

Sri Lanka's premier spin bowler Herath also made an impact – this time with the bat – hitting 67 in Sri Lanka's first innings of 294.

"I'm really happy that Rangana scored the runs but unfortunately spinners didn't come into play. We'll have to learn to bat in the second innings," said Chandimal.

"Lakmal is unbelievable, especially over the last one or two years. He's one who you can trust as a captain," he said of his pace spearhead.

Kumar and opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan later pulled out of India's Test team for the second match against Sri Lanka due to personal reasons, the country's cricket board said.

Kumar will miss the next two Tests while Dhawan is only available for the final game in Delhi.

"The BCCI would like to inform that Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shikhar Dhawan have been released from India's Test team," The Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a release.

"The duo made a request to the selectors and the team management to release them owing to personal reasons," it added, without elaborating further.

According to reports in the Indian media, Kumar has taken a break to get married.

Uncapped seam bowling allrounder Vijay Shankar has been added to the 14-man squad.

The second Test in Nagpur is scheduled to start Friday.

India squad for the second Test: Virat Kohli (c), Lokesh Rahul, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar.