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Rediff.com  » Cricket » PHOTOS: Dhawan, Kohli bury Sri Lanka under pile of runs

PHOTOS: Dhawan, Kohli bury Sri Lanka under pile of runs

Last updated on: August 13, 2015 19:22 IST
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Opener Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Virat Kohli strike fluent centuries as India take lead of 192 runs.

Indian spinners then dismiss Sri Lanka openers to leave hosts struggling at 5 for 2 in second innings. 

India's Shikhar Dhawan celebrates his century during Day 2 of the first Test against Sri Lanka, in Galle. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters

Centuries by opener Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Virat Kohli earned India a handy first innings lead before their spinners dismissed both the Sri Lankan openers to put the tourists on top of the first Test, at Galle, on Thursday.

- Scorecard

Resuming the second day on 128-2, India were all out for 375 in the final session to claim a first innings lead of 192 runs.

Sri Lanka's troubles did not end there.

India's Amit Mishra celebrates with teammates after picking up the wicket of Kaushal Silva during Day 2 of the first Test against Sri Lanka, in Galle. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters

Openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva were both dismissed in the first two overs, leaving the hosts reeling at 5 for 2 in their second innings at stumps, still trailing India by 187.

Earlier, Dhawan (134) and Kohli (103) frustrated the Sri Lankan bowlers with a 227-run stand that was the cornerstone of the Indian innings.

India's Shikhar Dhawan (left) celebrates his century with Virat Kohli during Day 2 of the first Test against Sri Lanka, in Galle. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters

Bowled out for 183 in the first innings, Sri Lanka had a few half chances in the morning session but otherwise failed to trouble the batsmen on the slow pitch at the Galle International Stadium.

The hosts made a stronger comeback in the later sessions, riding on off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal's second five-wicket haul and three wickets from paceman Nuwan Pradeep.

Left-handed Dhawan, who scored 173 against Bangladesh in India's last Test in June, hit a cover drive for four off paceman Dhammika Prasad to complete his fourth Test century.

The 29-year-old, who was dropped on 28 and 122 during his knock, hit 13 fours in his patient 271-ball innings before he chopped paceman Nuwan Pradeep onto the stumps.

India's Virat Kohli celebrates his century during Day 2 of the first Test against Sri Lanka, in Galle. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters

Kohli, in his first full series as India's Test captain, hit 11 fours to complete his 11th hundred in Tests but was out shortly after going past the three-figure mark.

The 26-year-old fell leg before after fluffing his sweep shot against off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal, who also dismissed Ajinkya Rahane lbw for a duck in his next over.

Pradeep brought the hosts the fourth wicket of the second session by castling Ravichandran Ashwin (seven), an over after he dismissed the well-set Dhawan.

Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (60) stretched India's lead with his maiden half-century before he became Pradeep's third victim.

Kaushal also dismissed Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra and took his fifth wicket with the dismissal of number 11 batsman Varun Aaron.

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