First Test: Chandimal ton helps Sri Lanka take second innings lead, India 23-1

Chandimal scored a brilliant 162 off 169 deliveries to help his side post a sizable total for Virat Kohli and his team to chase and win the first of the three Tests.

Sri Lanka had lost 2 quick wickets by the end of day two.

Resuming on their overnight score of 5 for 2, the hosts lost one more on the morning of day three. With more than a 180 runs requiring to eradicate the deficit, Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews and veteran southpaw Sangakkara combined well to put up a 87-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

The Indian bowlers came back strongly to remove both the batsmen but Chandimal paired up with Thirimanne to add 125 runs for the 6th wicket and help their side take a second innings lead.

Once Thirimanne departed for 44, Chandimal forged another partnership with Jehan Mubarak. The duo added 82 runs for the seventh wicket. Though Chandimal got to his century, his partner fell one short of his half century.

The wicket-keeper batsman had another crack at the Indians when he added 41 runs for the 10th wicket with number 11 batsman Kaushal.

For India, Ravichandran Ashwin picked up his 10th wicket of the match, by virtue of the four he managed for 114 runs.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra picked up 3 wickets for 61 runs. Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron accounted for a scalp each.

Needing 176 to win, India lost a wicket early in their second innings  as opener K L Rahul departed cheaply for 5, falling prey to spinner Rangana Herath.

Nightwatchman Ishant Sharma (5) and Shikhar Dhawan (13) are at the crease.

India need another 153 runs to win this Test match.