India vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Day 1 — As it happened...

After a four-hour rain delay, Sri Lanka won the toss and asked India to bat on a juicy green top at the Eden Gardens. But the hosts lost opener Rahul and skipper Kohli for ducks, while Dhawan made only 8 in the 11.5 overs bowled during the entire day.

SL pacer Suranga Lakmal ripped India's top-order apart

A very warm welcome to all those joining ZeeNews Sports for it's continued international cricket coverage as India's home season enters its last series against Sri Lanka, who begin their tour with the first Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. And we will bring you all the live score updates as well as other happenings that make headlines through the day.

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PLAY CALLED OFF FOR THE DAY DUE TO BAD LIGHT!

This is it then! India have endured a difficult on-off rainy day, losing three wickets for just 17 runs in the 11.5 overs bowled in the entire day. Suranga Lakmal the hero from the brief action, taking three wickets in six overs and yet to concede a run. Forecast for tomorrow isn't bright, but hope floats. See you!

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As difficult conditions as any to bat in. And to think that effectively, Sri Lanka were bowling from only one end on this track — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 16, 2017

3:42 p.m. The light's bad again and umpires think likewise. Players walking back. India 17/3 in 11.5 overs. Lakmal has bowled six maidens and has figures of 3 wickets for 0 runs. Pujara has negotiated 43 balls on a difficult track for his 8 not out. Rahane with him on 0 not out off 5 balls.

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3:32 p.m. What a note for SL to resume on! Lakmal traps Virat Kohli for a 10-ball duck! The India skipper went for a review but the DRS couldn't rescue him. India 17/3 and Lakmal 3/0, yet to concede a run.

BAD LIGHT STOPS PLAY!

Some updates filtering in suggests play to resume at 3:20 p.m.

3:10 p.m. Umpires announce Tea as bad light keeps players indoors. India 17/2.

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2:52 p.m. It started raining but stopped soon, and is looking considerably brighter than when the umpires called 'bad light'. No official word yet, though.

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2:30 p.m. It has gone considerably dark at the Eden Gardens. The umpires got their light metres out and straight away asked the players to walk back into their dressing rooms. India 17/ 2 in 8.2 overs, and the highlight of the play so far has been Suranga Lakmal's spell of 4.2 overs - 4 maidens - 0 runs - 2 wickets. Simply unplayable! He removed KL Rahul for a golden duck and Shikhar Dhawan for 8.

2:17 p.m. Lakmal strikes again! Dhawan (8) inside-edges an attempted off-drive onto his stumps. That's what green tops can do. Virat Kohli walks in. India 13/2 in 6.2 overs.

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2:07 p.m. Lakmal proving unplayable almost, has bowled two overs and yet to concede a run. Pujara has faced 15 balls and is still on zero. Dhawan batting on 7. India 8/1 in 4 overs.

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1:58 p.m. Gamage partnering Lakmal with the new ball. India getting the practice they asked for, for the coming South Africa tour. 2/1 after 2 overs

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1:47 p.m. Match begins, but on a disastrous note for India and KL Rahul, who bags a golden duck having no clue about Suranga Lakmal's snorter, caught behind. India 0/1

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1:40 p..m. Covers ordered out as quickly as they were ordered in by the umpires. The players are walking back on the field. Looks like the Test will finally see its first ball.

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Need some weather predictions? Local boy Saha seems to have the answers #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/6sSrbC1vd1 — BCCI (@BCCI) November 16, 2017

RAIN IS BACK!

1:25 p.m. Rain returns just before the first ball, covers back on after SL asked India to bat

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PLAYING XIs

India: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal(c), Niroshan Dickwella(w), Dasun Shanaka, Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Gamage

India have decided to go with Dhawan and Rahul to open. Bit hard on Vijay but would have been so on whoever was left out — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 16, 2017

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TOSS NEWS: Sri Lanka ask India to bat on a green top in Kolkata.

Sri Lanka wins the toss and elects to bowl first in the 1st Test #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/fO6EQabS3A — BCCI (@BCCI) November 16, 2017

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HAPPY UPDATE! Toss at 1 p.m.

#IndvSL 1st day at the Eden Gardens
Toss: at 1:00 pm
Play start: 1:30 pm
Overs: min 55
Play
1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
3:50 pm to 5:30 pm — Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) November 16, 2017

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12:48 p.m. All covers peeled off the Eden Gardens surface, and it's looking rather promising. Let's wait to hear from the umpires, and it should be soon.

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Update: Another inspection at 12:45 p.m.

UPDATE - Most of the covers are off and the ground staff working in full flow. Next inspection at 12.45 IST #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/HKvwKHlOtc — BCCI (@BCCI) November 16, 2017

12:27 p.m. While we wait for the official word from umpires' inspection, here's a peek into what players do during rain delays.

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12:20 p.m. Umpires are doing their inspection, with a special concern towards the boundary area that has practice pitches.  

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11:30 a.m. The clock has touched the scheduled lunch time, and the first session of the series has been washed out. Not all the covers are off, which means there will be some time before play begins, provided rain doesn't return. INSPECTION AT 12:10 p.m.

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10:58 a.m. Good news! The covers are coming off, which means the groundstaff believes the drizzle is not going to come back this time. But keep your fingers crossed.

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10:45 a.m. Nothing new as of now in terms of updates as the two teams play the waiting game. 

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10:10 a.m. Aakash Chopra tweets:

Drizzle playing hide and seek....Weather Update from Eden Gardens. #AakashVani #IndvSL pic.twitter.com/AmFlk5msZb — Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 16, 2017

9:55 a.m. The super-sopper is hard at work but no sign of toss anytime soon as the status still is 'stop-start drizzle'.

The super sopper and ground staff hard at work at the Eden Gardens #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/H050l54s4w — BCCI (@BCCI) November 16, 2017

9:23 a.m. Besides being pretty elaborate on the 'resting' issue, Kohli did drop a hint that he agrees there's too much of India vs Sri Lanka.

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9:08 a.m. Looks like it's going to be a considerable amount of waiting time before we get to see any play. But there's lots of cricketing stuff you can dig into meanwhile. And one of those is Kohli's statement that made headlines yesterday: 'I am not a robot'

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8:55 a.m. A little birdie from Kolkata comes up with a bad news. It has started drizzling in Kolkata.

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8:52 a.m. It's also a landmark date today as far as world cricket is considered, as one of its favourite son Sachin Tendulkar bid the game adieu on November 16, 2013.

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8:50 a.m. On a note much brighter than the conditions in Kolkata, Ashish Nehra is back on TV, as a Hindi commentator, and is looking dapper in a grey suit.

A waiting game today #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/IkCcjx6Gcd — BCCI (@BCCI) November 16, 2017

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8:45 a.m. First up the most important information. The weatherman called it right as its cloudy in Kolkata, though it hasn't rained this morning but the toss is almost certain to be delayed as there is lots of water on the covers from Wednesday's rain, and the super-soppers are in overdrive. We will keep you posted on official confirmation.

Aakash Chopra, by the way, had tweeted the below video an hour ago:

Weather Update #EdenGardens #Kolkata pic.twitter.com/5eEBjYisM3 — Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 16, 2017

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MATCH PREVIEW

India would look to continue their ruthless streak while Sri Lanka would want to forget the annihilation suffered at home and chase what has been an improbable dream of winning a Test here when the two teams clash in a three-match series, starting here at the Eden Gardens on Thursday. However, there is a possibility of rain after home team's Wednesday morning practice session was called off after a spell of shower.

India had inflicted a humiliating 9-0 whitewash on Sri Lanka across three formats even as they bounced back to secure a surprise 2-0 Test series win against Pakistan in the UAE.

But there will be no let up from India, who are taking this series as preparation for the gruelling two-month long South Africa tour where they play three Tests, six ODIs and three T20Is beginning with the Cape Town Test on January 5.

Since that Test series in July-August, the hosts have played 13 ODIs and six Twenty20s but adjusting to the rigours of the longer version of the game should not be an issue since most of the team members have played Ranji Trophy matches for their respective sides.

That the Islanders have not won a single Test in 16 appearances over 35 years (they first played in India in 1982) and are here with an inexperienced side will make the task onerous for skipper Dinesh Chandimal. He will bank heavily on Angelo Mathews and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath - the two senior members who were part of the side that toured India in 2009.

The Met office has predicted rain until November 18 under the influence of a well-marked low-pressure area that is making its way up the Bay of Bengal along the Indian coast, and the series-opener may be a curtailed affair.

India look supremely confident at home barring a couple of selection dilemma looking at the Eden's seemingly greentop strip, which may pave the way for the return of Bhuvneshwar Kumar in a likely three-plus-two bowling combination.

Bhuvneshwar last played a Test against Australia in Dharamsala in March this year and looked in good rhythm during India's practice sessions.

He will relish the conditions at the Eden where he picked up a five-wicket haul against New Zealand in the last Test played here in September 2016 as he may join the pace duo of Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami.

In the spin department, India may stick to their line-up from the Pallekele Test where chinaman Kuldeep Yadav made way for left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja.

But Yadav not only rolled his arm at the nets here but had an extended batting session. It remains to be seen if India leave out Jadeja, who is more than handy with the bat.

Murali Vijay is back after recovering from a wrist injury that left him out of the Sri Lanka tour. The Tamil Nadu opener is confident after his 140 against Odisha in Cuttack but was not seen much in action during practice, an indication that Kohli may stick to Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul up front.

Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored two centuries in Sri Lanka, not only gives the Indian batting solidarity but has a calming effect on the team with his penchant for marathon innings.

Further down, skipper Kohli will be at his customary No. 4 in Test cricket.

Ajinkya Rahane will lead the middle order and lower-middle order, where R Ashwin also plays a crucial role with the bat.

If winning a Test is a dream for Chandimal, it would not come easy as their batsmen will have to spend considerable time on the crease.

Touted as Sri Lanka's next big thing, Sadeera Samarawickrama is likely to take the opening slot left vacant after the sacking of Kaushal Silva.

Opener Dimuth Karunaratne is fresh from a career-best 196 against Pakistan in the Dubai Test and the soutpaw would look to carry forward his form on Indian soil.

The team think-tank has made it clear that Mathews, the senior-most member in their batting group, will not be used in bowling and the onus would be on him to produce the runs.

Incidentally, his last hundred came against India - a knock of 102 in Colombo in August 2015.

In bowling, they will rely heavily on Rangana Herath's spin but it remains to be seen who will assist him.

SL have the promising chinaman Lakshan Sandakan who had a five-wicket haul against India in the Pallekele Test but in Indian conditions it remains to be seen whether they will opt for the inexperienced Sandakan ahead of offspinner Dilruwan Perera.