Sri Lanka bundle out 183 : India reach 128/2

On this occasion the southpaw only managed to have a thick outside edge of his bat as Rahane took a clean low catch at first slip.

The 31-year-old sustained the niggle in Zimbabwe during India’s recent limited over series there and did not bat in either innings of India’s only warm-up match ahead of the Galle Test starting on Wednesday. In reply, India lost a couple of early wickets but thanks to a century-run stand for the third wicket they managed to get them into the driver’s seat.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin spun a web around Sri Lankan batsmen with a six-wicket haul as India dismissed the hosts for a paltry 183 in the first innings to gain the upperhand on the opening day of the first cricket Test here today.

The five-year gap since their last series means that 11 of the 15 tourists, including skipper Kohli, have not played a Test match on Sri Lankan soil before.

A 2-1 victory would see India gain three points. After six overs of seam to start the day Herath was introduced and struck with his first ball, nightwatchman Ishant Sharma trapped lbw for 10. It’s an opportunity not only for me but all of us for a new Indian team. Shikhar Dhawan has notched up his 4th hundred in Tests, it is second in a row following the 173 that he hit against Bangladesh.

Mishra removed Chandimal and Tharindu Kaushal off successive deliveries, but last man Nuwan Pradeep denied the bowler a hat-trick. Kohli’s scores of 8 and 18 in the practice match left a lot to be desired.

From there on, Dhawan and skipper Kohli took charge, scoring at a slow pace to take the visitors past the 100-run mark to finish Day One on a promising note.

Besides pacers Ishant and Aaron, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra were the three spin options.

With Murali Vijay ruled out of the first Test owing to a troublesome right hamstring since the Zimbabwe tour, Kohli will have his task cut out to bring in the young Lokesh Rahul into the playing eleven.

Soon after lunch, it could have been 66-6, but Dinesh Chandimal was dropped on five.

Vice-captain Lahiru Thirimanne added 27 runs for the fourth wicket with captain Angelo Mathews to temporarily stem the flow of wickets before being caught behind at first slip by Ajinkya Rahane.

Another fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has been selected, subject to his recovering fully from a side strain, in the team to be led by Angelo Mathews for the series beginning August 12 at Galle.