SL vs IND 3rd Test Day 1: Sri Lanka peg India back to 329/6 despite Dhawan's ton

Pallekele: Sri Lankan spinners managed to restrict pull back a few things for their team as India did not make the most of Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul’s 188-run opening stand to end Day 1 of the third Test at 329/6 here on Saturday.

For Sri Lanka, Malinda Pushpakumara and Lakshan Sandakan scalped three and two wickets respectively while Vishwa Fernando dismissed Ravichandran Ashwin in the 88th over of day's play to end Sri Lanka's day on a high.

After Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat, Dhawan, who brought up his sixth Test ton, and Rahul, who entered the record books by scoring his seventh consecutive Test fifty, made the most of the batting conditions following some lucky reprieves.

The duo scored 134 runs in the opening session and threatened to take Sri Lankan bowlers to the cleaners before Pushpakumara removed Rahul in his first over in the second session. Sri Lanka manged to scalp two more wickets in that session as Shikhar Dhawan (119) and Cheteshwar Pujara () too were dismissed before tea.

While it was expected that Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane will make merry on a batting-friendly wicket, the two could not score many with Kohli getting out for 42 off Sandakan and Rahane getting out on Pushpakumara's bowling. R Ashwin, who once again contributed with the bat with 31 runs, was the last man to get out before stumps as Hardik Pandya and Wriddhiman Saha managed to keep their wickets before the end of day's play.

India 329/6 from 90 overs:

STUMPS! And that's the end of today's play. It has been a bit of a roller coaster ride on Day 1. India got off to a great start, but Sri Lanka bounced back with a few quick wickets at the end of the day, to keep things in the balance. However, India have maintained a relatively high run rate, which gives them the upper hand, especially as they have a deep batting lineup.

India 322/6 from 88 overs:

WICKET! The hosts are getting the quick wickets at the end of the day, here. India may have an impressive run rate, but they have already lost six wickets, something that could go on to prevent another big total. Ashwin went poking outside the off stump, edging it to Dickwella behind the wicket. The Sri Lanka keeper did well to take a diving catch.

India 296/5 from 79 overs:

WICKET! Sri Lanka get the big wicket! Virat Kohli walks back to the pavilion, as he goes poking outside the off stump. The ball took a heavy outside edge and flew straight to Dimuth Karunaratne, who took a fine catch in the slips.

India 264/4 from 65.4 overs:

WICKET! Ajinkya Rahane's stay in the middle comes to an end as he fails to connect a Malinda Pushpakumara delivery. Rahane danced down the track to play one through the leg-side but the ball went through his bat and pad to disturb the timber. Sri Lanka are making amends after India's big opening stand.

India 229/3 from 50.1 overs

WICKET! Another one bites the dust! Pujara, who has shown a great propensity to play the long innings this series, returns to the pavilion after facing just 33 balls. He slashes hard at a short-ish delivery from Sandakan, only managing to nick it toward the keeper. Dickwella was taken completely by surprise, however, as the ball took another nick off his pads, and flew to Angelo Mathews at first slip, who finally latched on to the ball.

India 219/2 from 47.1 overs

WICKET! Dinesh Chandimal takes an absolute blinder at square leg. Pushpakumara has come up with the goods once again, as both the India openers are back in the pavilion now. Dhawan goes for a flat slog-sweep off Pushpakumara. It was firmly struck off the middle of the bat. Unluckily for Dhawan, it was hit within Chandimal's range. The Sri Lanka captain still did very well to react to in and take a diving catch with both hands. India now have two new batters at the crease, exactly what Sri Lanka would have wanted.

India 188/1 from 39.3 overs:

WICKET! Finally, some relief for Sri Lanka as KL Rahul departs. Pushpakumara strikes in his first over as Rahul is out caught at mid-on. He tried to take on the spinner in his first over but failed. India lose their first wicket of the third Test after a 188-run opening stand. Cheteshwar Pujara joins Dhawan in the middle.

India 170/0 from 35 overs:

There is no respite for Sri Lanka as Rahul and Dhawan have continued from they had left before lunch. The two are having no difficulty as they continue to churn out runs at ease. India are clearly dominating the proceedings as they look to post yet another 300-plus total on the opening day of the Test.

Pallekele: India continued their dominance over Sri Lanka as KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan hammered 134 runs in the opening session of Day 1 of the third and final Test here on Saturday.

The Indian openers justified skipper Virat Kohli’s decision of electing to bat as the two scored at brisk pace to push Sri Lanka on the backfoot. While Dhawan was edgy at the start, Rahul too had a lucky reprieve as Kumara dropped a difficult catch. The duo made the most of those chances and brilliant batting pitch.

India 42/0 from 7 overs:

Shikhar Dhawan has been a little edgy but he and KL Rahul have put India off to a flying start on the opening day of the third Test.

Pallekele: Virat Kohli has won the toss as India have elected to bat in the third and final Test of the series against Sri Lanka here on Saturday. With the series already won, the Kohli-led India will aim to continue their dominance over Sri Lanka.

India have made one change to the team as suspended Ravindra Jadeja makes way for Kuldeep Yadav.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have made three changes to their team as Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando are a part of Sri Lanka's playing with injured Rangana Herath and Nuwan Pradeep sitting out, Dhananjaya de Silva dropped.

While Sri Lanka, who put up some resistance in the second innings of the second Test, are doing everything in their power to avoid a cleansweep; like taking off the grass cover from the pitch, it will not be an easy task for Dinesh Chandimal and Co with their ace spinner Rangana Herath ruled out of the third Test due to back pain.

India, meanwhile, will also miss the services of numero uno all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja as he was suspended over a dangerous throw at Dimuth Karunaratne in the second Test. While Axar Patel is picked in the Indian squad as Jadeja’s replacement, it is likely that chinaman Kuldeep Yadav will accompany Ravichandran Ashwin as the two will take care of India’s spin-bowling department.

Indian batsmen are in a good form with all of them amongst runs. While Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli could not score heavily in the second Test, the two have hundreds against their name in the first. Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul too have good scores against their name with the likes of Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin and Hardik Pandya making healthy contributions to team’s cause. But it is Cheteshwar Pujara, India’s “best Test batsman”, who has been a thorn in Sri Lanka’s flesh with two hundreds in two Tests.

Sri Lanka’s batting meanwhile has been heavily reliant on Dimuth Karunratne. The Sri Lankan opener has been a standout performer for the hosts in the first two Tests. However, Sri Lanka will want Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella to continue with their form as the likes of Upul Tharanga, Angelo Mathews and Chandimal struggle to get amongst runs.

Squads:

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga, Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Lahiru Thirimanne, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Gamage, Dilruwan Perera, Malinda Pushpakumara, Lakshan Sandakan.

India: Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice captain), Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, W Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, M Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund.