The Indian bowling unit got some rough treatment from Sri Lanka’s Gen-Next batters before Kuldeep Yadav-led spinners scripted a recovery in the final session as the hosts posted 363 for 8 to end their first innings on the opening day of the three-day warm-up game here on Friday.

Since the match doesn’t have first-class status, each team will bat 90 overs on days one and two and 45 overs each on the final day. However, at the end of the first day, head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shubman Gill, who didn’t take the field due to an impact injury that he suffered during a training session, will have a lot to ponder.

If the day’s performance is an indicator, off-spinner Saransh Jain (0/54 in 11 overs) will find it difficult to be in contention with both Kuldeep (2/76 in 18 overs) and Manav Suthar (1/30 in 11 overs) doing well. Seasoned Ravindra Jadeja (2/64 in 15 overs) looked out of sync despite getting a couple of wickets.

Playing a red-ball game after five weeks, the pacers were understandably rusty while the spinners, despite sharing bulk of the spoils, didn’t look menacing enough till Kuldeep found his mojo and asked a few probing questions.

Otherwise, the Day One primarily belonged to young island batters, some of whom have just started off with their Test careers, and they looked at ease while facing the Indian attack on a mostly benign Nondescripts Cricket Club track which provided some purchase for Kuldeep towards the fag end of the day.

There were two Sri Lankan batters, whose batting stood out on the first day. The first one was opener Nishan Fernando (66 off 65), who played the senior Indian pacers — Mohammed Siraj (0/44 in 13 overs), and Prasidh Krishna (0/32 in 8 overs) — with ease, and the second Sonal Dinusha (52 off 72 balls), who displayed admirable technique and the only batter in the middle-order who read Kuldeep from the wrist and hit a regal straight six.

Gurnoor Brar (1/49 in 12 overs) was the only pacer who looked incisive. The 110-run opening stand with Ravindu Rasantha (71 off 143 balls) had Indian pacers and spinners scurrying for cover as they scored runs at a quick clip before an unfortunate mix-up led to Fernando’s run-out. But Indian bowlers did have their moments, especially the manner in which Kuldeep varied the speed of his deliveries after going for 29 in five overs in his first spell.