India 355-3 (78 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Off-spinner Perera comes back into the attack in place of Herath, who bowled 19 overs for 81 runs.

Rahane and Pujara keep the scoreboard ticking along with three singles off Perera's comeback over.

Lahiru tries a short ball at Rahane who rolls his wrists and keeps it down to concede just a single before Pujara also picks one.

Rahane comes down the track and looks to defend Perera but is struck on the pads but the LBW appeal is turned down. Rahane takes a single before Pujara also does the same off the last ball of the over.

Lahiru from round the wicket tests Rahane with a couple of short balls as the right-hander looks to pull but not in the air and does well to keep it down.

Rahane takes the aerial route in the next over as he jumps down the track and lofts Perera back over his head for a four and picks up two runs from the last ball of the over.

Lahiru bowls a high bouncer which sails over Pujara's head and is called a wide to bring up the 50-run stand for the fourth wicket.

The short ball is followed by a wide half-volley as Pujara drives it through the covers for a four and then clips a slower ball through midwicket for two runs.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have another injury concern as the substitute fielder who dives at midwicket ends up injuring his shoulder.

Off-spinner Gunathilaka comes back, replacing pacer Lahiru as Rahane and Pujara pick up two singles each.

Spinners from both ends as Sri Lanka look to speed up the over rate at the fag end of the day.

Perera rushes through this 22nd over conceding just a single before Gunathikala gives away just two runs in the next over.

Wonder why Herath is holding himself back? The Indians seems totally comfortable against the two spinners and are content to play for stumps with not many overs left in the day.

India 319-3 (67 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Pujara and Rahane have a close save as they go for the second run but the former manages to recover in time as the throw from the fielder at deep midwicket is at the wrong end.

Herath rushes through a quick maiden over, with new batsman Ajinkya Rahane happy to defend.

The right-hander slaps Pradeep through the covers for three runs to get off the mark from the 16th ball he faces.

Herath continues to bowl miserly as he sends down another maiden over to Rahane, who is taking his time to get going.

Pradeep, who has taken all three wickets to fall, gets a break as he is replaced by Lahiru. He drifts on the pads as Pujara clips it on the leg side for a couple and then takes one to take India past the 300-run mark, in the 63rd over.

Herath not giving anything away as he bowls another maiden over, his third in a row.

Pujara breaks the sequences of maiden overs from Herath as he comes down the track and drives the spinner through the covers for a four. Two balls later, he smashes one straight back but Herath lets it go through and gives away another boundary and then takes one to take his score to 98.

In the next over, Pujara clips Lahiru through midwicket for a couple to bring up his 12th Test century from 173 balls. The last ball is slapped on the bounce over the fielder at short covers for a wonderful boundary as India reach 319 for three in 67 overs.

India 292-3 (58 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Captain Herath starts off proceedings after the tea break. Pujara takes a single on the leg side for the only run of the over. In the next over, Kohli goes after a short delivery from Pradeep but is beaten as the Sri Lankans go up in appeal for a catch down the leg side.

The slow motion replays shows that the ball has clearly brushed the top edge of the bat before it went through to the keeper. The Ultra Edge also shows a bit of spike at the moment the ball passes the top edge of the bat.

So the third umpire rules it out caught behind as Kohli walks back for three.

Interestingly, the West Indies bowlers gave Kohli a lot of problems during the limited overs series with the short balls and Sri Lanka have taken a cue from it.

In the next over, Pujara comes down and whips Herath through midwicket for a four and then takes a single to take his score into the 80s.

TEA - DAY 1

India 282-2 (55 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

A session dominated by India, especially Dhawan, who missed out on a well deserved double century.

The left-hander, dropped on 31, took charge in the post-lunch session as he smashed a brilliant 190 from 168 balls, hitting 31 fours in the process.

Pujara was solid as ever at the other end, as he was unbeaten on 75 as India amassed 167 runs from 28 overs in the post-lunch session.

All of Sri Lanka's bowlers came under attack as Dhawan was at his attacking best and smashed his career-best score in Tests.

Except for a few quick wickets in the post-tea session, India look likely to end up with a huge score on the opening day.

India 282-2 (55 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Against the run of play, Sri Lanka strike the wicket of Dhawan, who throws his wicket away with a reckless shot with the double century up for taking.

He comes down the track and looks to hit pacer Pradeep down the ground but ends up holing out to the fielder at mid-off.

Dhawan walks back after a sensational innings of 190 from 168 balls, laced with 31 fours. He put on a superb partnership of 253 runs for the second wicket with Pujara to put India in control.

Captain Virat Kohli gets off the mark with a single and Pujara picks one from the last ball to end the post-tea session.

India 280-1 (54 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Sri Lanka have bowled a lot of loose deliveries and Dhawan has not spared any of them. Gunathilaka bowls one outside the leg-stump as Dhawan paddles him fine for another four and then takes a single courtesy of a misfield from Angelo Mathews.

Another ball on the leg stump is nudged fine by Pujara for a couple before he picks one on the off-side.

The last ball is short and wide and Dhawan cuts it past point for his 30th four of the innings to race to 180 from 160 balls.

A rare occurrence as Herath sends down a maiden over with Pujara content to play out six dot balls in a row.

With 15 minutes to go for tea, Sri Lanka make a change as pacer Pradeep comes into the attack.

The session has belonged to India who have smashed 153 runs from 25 overs, with a scoring rate of above six to take control of the game.

Pradeep sends down a quiet over under the circumstances to give away just three singles. He has been the only bowler with an economy of under four, having taken one for 40 in 11 overs.

Herath has suffered a lot at the hands of Dhawan. Another ball on the leg stump is swept fine for a four to take Dhawan to 189, his career-best in Test cricket.

That also raises the 250-run stand for the second wicket between Dhawan and Pujara and it has come from just 281 balls.

India 255-1 (50 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Dhawan in full control out in the middle. He puts his front pad across and paddle sweeps Herath fine on the leg side for a four. He chips down the track and smashes it straight down the ground for another boundary.

He takes a single before Pujara hits it through the off-side for two runs and then takes one to make it 12 from the over.

Dhawan smashes a short ball from Herath through the covers for a four to bring his hundred runs in the post-lunch session. Since the lunch interval, the left-hander has smashed 103 from 78 balls in the second session.

He continues his assault on Herath as he sweeps him uppishly over midwicket and despite the mishit, gets a boundary over square leg.

India's run rate has gone over the five mark as they race to 255 for one in 50 overs with Dhawan on 171 from 157 balls and Pujara on 68 from 119 balls.

India 229-1 (47 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Herath comes back as Dhawan picks a single before Pujara blocks the rest of the over.

Dhawan continues to employ the sweep shot with good effect. Perera helps him by bowling it well outside the leg stump as Dhawan sweeps it for a four past the short fine leg fielder. He repeats the shot two balls later for the same result as Perera continues with the leg stump line.

A well spread out field for Dhawan as the left-hander clips Herath to deep midwicket for one before Pujara easily defends the rest of the over.

Off-spinner Danushka Gunathilaka comes into the attack. He starts with a long hop which the well-set Dhawan pulls over midwicket for a four to inch closer to 150. Singles from the remaining five deliveries to make it nine runs from the over as the runs continue to flow.

Dhawan sweeps Herath but this time he finds the fielder in the deep and gets just a single for the only run of the over with Pujara again content to defend.

Gunathilaka bowls a short wide delivery which Dhawan steers past short thirdman fielder for a four before he slaps one down the ground for a single to race to his 150, from 147 balls, laced with as many as 24 boundaries.

India 201-1 (41 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

A quiet over from Perera under the circumstances as the off-spinner concedes just a single in his 15th over.

Lahiru continues dish out loose deliveries and is hit for three boundaries in his ninth over. He tries a short ball but Dhawan is quick to rock back and pull it square for a four followed by two singles.

Lahiru then gifts Dhawan a full toss on the pads which he carts through the leg side for another four before he smashes the next ball through the off-side for the same result.

14 runs from the over as India reach 199 for one in 40 overs, scoring at just under five per over.

Two singles from Perera's over as India cross the 200-run mark, in the 41st over with Dhawan on 126 and Pujara on 59.

India 184-1 (38 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Sri Lanka running short of ideas as they bring back Lahiru, who has also been expensive, giving away 36 runs in his first six overs.

India have it easy against him as they milk the fast bowler for five singles.

Dhawan continues his assault as he late cuts Perera through the vacant thirdman region for a four and then takes one. Pujara comes down the track and whips the off-spinner through midwicket for three runs.

In the next over, Pujara completes a half-century in style as he hits a full toss from Lahiru through the covers for a four. The next ball is full and on the stumps as Pujara flicks it through midwicket for another boundary.

An angry Lahiru tries a couple of bouncers but Pujara can easily duck under it before he defends the last ball on the off-side.

India 161-1 (35 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

No stopping Dhawan after the lunch interval. He comes down the track to off-spinner and plays another cracking drive through the covers for a four to continue his dominating approach.

Dhawan's aggressive approach has put Sri Lanka on the backfoot. This time he sweeps Perera powerfully through square leg for a four before steering a wide delivery past the slips for the same result to race into the 90s.

The flow of boundaries continue as Dhawan slashes a wide delivery from Pradeep past point for another four to close in on his century.

Pradeep tries the short ball which the left-hander pulls to fine leg for a single before Pujara also plays the cut shot for three more runs.

India have raced to 154 for one in 34 overs, scoring 39 runs in seven overs after the lunch break.

Dhawan wastes no time as he sweeps Perera for a boundary through square leg to complete his century in grand style from just 110 balls.

Incidentally, Dhawan scored his last Test century at this same venue. He has dominated since the break, scoring 35 runs from 32 balls, hitting eight fours to leave the Sri Lanka's bowling attack in tatters.

Meanwhile, a big blow for Sri Lanka as Asila Gunaratne is ruled out of the rest of the Test match with a fractured thumb.

India 131-1 (30 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Sri Lanka start the post-lunch session with pace as Pradeep comes into the attack. Dhawan survives a confidence shout for LBW as he beaten by one which comes in. He then takes a single off the fifth ball before Pujara keeps strike with one from the last ball.

In the next over, Dhawan goes after Herath. He comes down the track and drives a full delivery from the veteran spinner through the covers for a four. The next ball is punched straight down the ground for another boundary before he takes one to get 10 from the over.

That also brings up the 100-run partnership for the second wicket and it has come from just 130 balls, with Dhawan scoring 74 of them.

India in a rush after lunch and Dhawan is leading the charge. Pradeep tries a short ball but it is too easy for Dhawan as the left-hander pulls it square for a four, his third boundary in the space of four balls.

India scoring well over four runs per over to reach 131 for one in 30 overs with Dhawan smashing 78 from 94 balls, while Pujara has made 39 from 61 balls.

LUNCH - DAY 1

India 115-1 (27 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Overall, a good session for India as they made most of winning the toss and batting first on a good wicket.

Dhawan, who was dropped on 31, made an impact on his comeback, hitting a fluent half-century, to be unbeaten on 64 at the lunch break, having hit eight fours in his 78-ball knock.

But the other opener Mukund failed to make most of the opportunity and was caught behind off Nuwan Pradeep for 12.

India's run-machine Cheteshwar Pujara eased himself to 37 from 59 balls, putting on 88 runs for the second wicket with Dhawan to put the visitors in control.

India 115-1 (27 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

The boundaries have dried up and both Dhawan and Pujara looking to get the runs in ones and twos. Dhawan turns Herath on the leg side for one before Pujara does the same but through midwicket for a couple.

A single each to the two batsmen off Perera in the next over as the scoreboard keeps moving.

In the next over, Dhawan ends the sequence of a few overs with boundaries. He slaps Herath down the ground for a four and then sweeps the left-arm spinner for a four behind square followed by a single to get 10 from the over as India cross the 100-run mark, in the 25th over.

Another couple runs off Perera's over with India progressing well, having scored 40 runs from the last 10 overs with the second-wicket partnership growing to 82 runs.

The over rate has also picked up with spinners in operation from both ends. Herath overpitches again as Pujara flicks him through midwicket for three runs with Dhawan pushing him for the extra run.

Herath bowling quick and flat as Dhawan and Pujara pick three more singles in what turns out to the final over of the morning session.

India 92-1 (22 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Off-spinner Perera bowls a short ball on the pads to Pujara who pulls it easily through midwicket for a four.

In the next over, Dhawan helps himself to another boundary, pulling a short ball from Lahiru through square leg to inch closer to his half-century.

Lahiru has struggled with his line and length and bowled a lot of loose deliveries, to give away 36 runs in six overs.

Meanwhile, captain Herath brings himself into the attack in place of Perera, who bowled six overs for 24 runs. Dhawan picks a single from the second ball before Pujara blocks the rest of the over.

Spin from both ends as Perera comes in from the other end as the two Indian batsmen continue to keep the scoreboard moving with singles.

Pujara plays inside the line to off-spinner Perera as he gets an edge past the slip fielder for a couple and then takes a single.

Dhawan takes a single from the last ball to complete his half-century from 62 balls, having hit six fours. This is the first time Dhawan has got past the fifty mark in the last one year.

India 60-1 (14 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Dhawan flicks Perera through the leg side but the fielder at mid-on does well to save some runs and Pujara picks a run off the fifth ball.

In the next over, Pradeep gifts Pujara a half-volley on the pads which the right-hander hits through midwicket for a four.

India have a close shave as Dhawan and Pujara have a huge misunderstanding but the latter turns back in time after being sent back and makes his crease in time.

Lahiru comes back and continues to struggle with his control. Pujara hits the first ball through the off-side where the captain Herath lets it go through to give away three runs.

The next ball is short and down the leg side as Dhawan pulls it fine for a four. Two balls later, he clips a full delivery to fine leg where the fielder at fine leg is unable to get around and gives away another boundary.

Lahiru then bowls a dangerous delivery, a high full toss which goes past Dhawan and is called a no-ball.

He finally gets it right off the last ball as he tempts Dhawan (31) into the cover drive which he does and gets the edge but Gunaratne at second slip puts down a sharp catch to his left and in the process ends up injuring his left wrist.

India have recovered well after Mukund's wicket to reach 60 for on 14 overs.

India 41-1 (10 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

Spin introduced early as off-spinner Dilruwan Perera comes into the attack to bowl the seventh over.

He starts with a full delivery on the stumps which Dhawan flicks through midwicket for a four before he sees off the rest of the over.

Change of ends for Pradeep, who strikes in his second spell with the wicket of Mukund. The left-hander pokes at a wide outgoing only to get an edge and is caught behind for 12.

New batsman Cheteshwar Pujara gets off the mark with an edged boundary past the slips off the second ball he faces, from Pradeep.

Dhawan gives Perera the charge and smashes him through the covers for another four. He then hits the next ball through the covers for a couple and then picks a single to race to 21 from 22 balls.

Dhawan keeps the scoreboard moving as he picks another quick run on the off-side before Pujara picks two runs from the last ball of the over from Pradeep.

After 10 overs, India have reached 41 for one with Dhawan on 22 and Pujara on six.

India 23-0 (6 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

The young Lahiru struggling with his line as he bowls it well wide of Mukund, who is happy to see it go through. Two balls later, he bowls one on the pads which the left-hander clips through square leg for his first boundary before defending the rest of the over.

Dhawan happy to pick the quick singles and rotate the strike as he steals another run on the off-side before Mukund throws his bat at the last ball from Pradeep but is beaten.

Three singles from four balls before Mukund slaps a short ball from Lahiru through the covers for a four as India reach 23 for no loss in six overs.

India 11-0 (3 ovs) vs SL | Scorecard

India have a new opening pair in Shikhar Dhawan and Abhinav Mukund, both of whom are making a comeback into the Test team.

Nuwan Pradeep to open the bowling for the hosts. Dhawan immediately taps the first ball down the ground to mid-off and steals a quick single to get off the mark.

Mukund clips the fourth ball through midwicket for three runs to get off the mark before Dhawan defends the last two balls.

Pacer Lahiru Kumara to bowl the second over and concedes just one run in the form of a wide as Mukund defends confidently.

Dhawan survives a LBW shout with the ball looking to slip down the leg side. Pradeep pitches one right up as Dhawan plays a cracking straight drive for the first boundary of the match. He strokes the last ball through the covers for a couple as India reach 11 for no loss in three overs.

Well, it turned out to be a slight drizzle and the sun is back out, shining brightly with the players out for the national anthem.

Image: Hardik Pandya gets his Test cap from captain Virat Kohli

Check out how the two teams line-up for this match:

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Abhinav Mukund, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Wriddhiman Saha (w/k), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami

Sri Lanka: Rangana Herath (captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Upul Tharanga, Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Angelo Mathews, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella (w/k), Dilruwan Perera, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep

India captain Virat Kohli has won the toss and elected to bat against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya will make his Test debut, while Shikhar Dhawan makes his comeback as he comes in for KL Rahul, who is ruled out with illness.

India have gone in with two spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, with the former completing the landmark of 50 Test matches.

Just as Murali Kartik was completing the captains' interviews, it started to rain in Galle.

When Ravichandran Ashwin takes the field against Sri Lanka in the opening Test, he will complete a significant milestone of playing 50 Test matches.

Since making his Test debut against the West Indies in November 2011, Ravichandran Ashwin has grown in stature.

His ability to consistently fox batsmen has seen him become India's leading Test bowler with 275 scalps in 49 games.

As the off-spinner plays his landmark 50th Test in Galle Rajneesh Gupta gives us Ashwin's numbers. Click to read the full article

Welcome to the coverage of the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Galle on Wednesday.

India will look to extend their domination in Tests when they take on a jaded Sri Lanka in the first game of a three-match series.

Virat Kohli and Co. would be keen to avenge their embarrassing loss at the Galle International Stadium in 2015 when they crashed to an embarrassing loss on day four after being bowled out for 112 while chasing 176.

A lot has changed since then as a young and aggressive Kohli has turned into a mature captain, who has led the side to 12 wins out of 17 Tests against West Indies, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh and Australia in 2016-17 season.

The Indian team will be looking to take that confidence into this three-match series, which heralds the onset of a new season, and more importantly, another overseas cycle.

It also marks the second coming of Ravi Shastri at the helm of affairs. The team has been on-tour for five days now, and collectively they seem to have put the entire saga of Anil Kumble's premature departure as well as the dramatic coach-selection process behind them.

Combining the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, India have lost only one out of 23 Tests (against Australia at Pune) since that defeat in Galle.