Heavy rain lashed the Galle International Stadium on Sunday, August 16, forcing the umpires to call an early Lunch on Day 2 of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka. The second session is now scheduled to begin at 12:20 IST, if the playing conditions improve.

The second day of the match saw another stoppage due to weather, which has already affected the first Test. The day's play was advanced by 15 minutes on the second day after rain washed out some overs on the opening day. However, more showers are expected on the day, which could further impact the game, which has already seen two postponements.

The hosts were sitting pretty strong at 288/2 when the rain started. Devdutt Padikkal was on 131 not out, and Rishabh Pant was on 27.

Devdutt Padikkal's Century Puts India in Command

India's first day got off to a positive start thanks to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who looked poised to post a big score before being run out at the non-striker's end in a mix-up with KL Rahul. Jaiswal was run out at the non-striker's end, giving Sri Lanka an unexpected lifeline.

Rahul was batting positively, and he played a crucial hand before retiring hurt with a good 77, as he was suffering from some tight forearm muscles.

It proved to be a significant setback to India's attempts to post a huge first-innings total before the close of play on Day 1.

Shubman Gill, India's captain, failed to contribute with the bat as he was out for a low-scoring 16.

Padikkal came out to bat and played a measured innings, as he was in total control of the situation. He eventually scored an unbeaten 131, guiding India to a comfortable overnight position.

Pant remained unbeaten on 27, giving India confidence ahead of Day 2. With two rock-solid batters at the crease, India now has an excellent opportunity to post a huge total if the weather permits them to bat freely on Sunday.

Rain Could Decide Galle Test

The weather has already played a significant role in this match, with the first Test now scheduled to finish on August 19th. There is not much leniency on either team as both have to finish two innings and get the result of this match before the set date.

Another washout on Day 2 would be a blow to both teams, but India's ability to bat through from the overnight session gives them a clear advantage. Both Gill and Rahul's falls were a setback to India's hopes of posting a huge total before lunch on the second day.

However, Sri Lanka will have to go all out to try to get the wickets if they have any chance to win this match.

Galle Test's revised start date was proof enough of the challenge. The umpires had moved the start of Day 2 by 15 minutes to compensate for the lost overs on Day 1. So, the early closure due to the rain was another setback to the schedule.

The weather might play a significant role in this match again as the game progresses. Galle tends to be a pitch that swings and spins more as it wears out, which means the situation may change as we head into the final couple of days.

This way, the advantage that India has with regard to their first-innings score may well be neutralized by the conditions that Sri Lanka will be able to exploit as the game goes on.

Devdutt Padikkal needs the skies over Galle to clear so that he can get to a special score, and Pant will be looking to add a large number of runs to his unbeaten 27. Neither batter will be able to get going until the rain stops, so it remains to be seen if the early morning will be clear enough to allow batting.

India is in a good position to take advantage of this weather issue, but they have three days to wait before the sun comes out over Galle after the rain on Sunday.