Galle: Hosts Sri Lanka took a 175-run lead after being bowled out for 367 in their second innings on third day of the first Test match against India at the Galle International Stadium here on Friday.
Resuming at the overnight score of 5/2 after conceding a 192-run first innings lead, right-arm batsman Dinesh Chandimal's responsible unbeaten knock of 162 helped the home team avoid the follow-on.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin continued his impressive form in the match, taking 4/114 in 28.2 overs to complete a 10-wicket haul in the match. He was assisted by leg-spinner Amit Mishra 3/61 in 17 overs.
Earlier in the day, Wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal smashed an unbeaten 98 Friday to lead Sri Lanka to 263-6 at tea on day three of the first test against India and avoid an innings defeat.
Resuming overnight on 5-2, Sri Lanka appeared down and out at 5-3 in its second innings, and 108-5 at lunch at Galle International Stadium.
But the tourists recovered to score 155 runs in the afternoon session in 28 overs to take a lead of 71 after India scored 375 all out in its first innings.
Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara hit 40 before he was caught by Ajinkya Rahane to a delivery from off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, but it was the 125-run stand beween Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne for the sixth wicket which laid the foundation for Sri Lanka.
Thirimanne was the only batsman dismissed in the afternoon session for 44 by Ashwin in his first over of the new spell. The left-handed Thirimanne edged to slip where Rahane took a sharp catch.
Chandimal, who has hit 11 fours and two sixes, also shared an unbroken 43-run, seventh-wicket stand with Jehan Mubarak (23), who got off the mark by depositing leg-spinner Amit Mishra over long-off for six.
At the start of the day, Dhammika Prasad went early for 3, followed by Sangakarra at 92-4 and then Angelo Mathews (39) three runs later.
Both Chandimal and Thirimanne had shaky starts before lunch and survived close calls. But after the break, they adopted a positive approach, particularly Chandimal who raced to his half-century off just 48 balls with conventional and reverse sweeps.
With runs coming freely, India captain Virat Kohli was forced to spread the field, allowing the batsmen to pick up easy singles.
Sri Lanka was dismissed for 183 runs in its first innings after electing to bat first with Ashwin taking 6-46.
India has not won a test series in Sri Lanka since 1993.
