Sri Lanka vs India, 3rd Test - Live Cricket Score,

Sri Lanka fought their way back in the game after India's solid start. © AFP

END OF DAY: India end the day on 329 for 6. Pushpakumara and Sandakan share five wickets between them to ensure India weren't capable of taking advantage of the 188-run opening stand between Dhawan and Rahul. Dhawan scored a ton while Rahul scored 85. The next best score came from Kohli but none of the batsmen apart from the openers weren't able to stamp their authority. Sri Lanka will take confidence from the way they fought back in the last two session and that should hold them in good stead.

That's it from us folks today! Do join us tomorrow at 930 am IST for the second day's play.

WICKET: Magnificent catch from Dickwella! Length ball and moves away from Ashwin. He pokes at that one and gets a thick outside edge. Dickwella dives to his right to complete the catch. India reduced to 326 for 6.

POOR, POOR REVIEW: Fernando gets the ball to come back in and it takes the inside edge of Ashwin's bat. The bowlers is convinced he has trapped the batsman plumb in front. Chandimal reviews. Shot down within seconds. India 315 for 5 in 85 overs.

New Ball taken. India 308 for 5 after 83 overs.

Kohli gone...

Out goes the skipper! Sandakan has enticed Kohli to drive away from his body and nick it. Lovely drift from the left-arm spinner. The India captain falls for 42. India 296 for 5.

Third for Pushpakumara

Rahane is gone! He advances down the track to Pushpakumara and looked like he played for the turn, but it turned out to be a straighter one that also kept low. It sneaked past everything and crashed onto the stumps. India 264/4.

TEA - India 235/3

So, Sri Lanka have found a way back! Who'd have thought? Excellent stuff from the hosts - led by two left-arm spinners in Malinda Pushpakumara and Lakshan Sandakan. They've removed India's top three to reduce them from 188 for 0 to 229 for 3. Kohli and Pujara had to endure a tricky six-over period towards the end of second session to finish on 235 for 3.

WICKET - Pujara exits

Turning out to be a good session for Sri Lanka here. Cheteshwar Pujara has been snared by Lakshan Sandakan. The ball was short and on off-stump, Pujara camped back to play the cut shot but a bit of extra bounce may have done the batter in. The thick outside edge went to Mathews at first slip. Timely wicket for Sri Lanka...and that of a serial century maker. India 229/3.

WICKET - Shikhar Dhawan goes...

...against the run of play! Pushpakumara flights one up and that entices Dhawan to reach out in his attempt to sweep. The left-hander goes ahead with his stroke but can't keep it along the ground. Dinesh Chandimal at square leg completed a very good two-handed catch diving towards his left to earn an important wicket. India 219 for 2.

CENTURY for Dhawan

And it comes with a four through covers. Dhawan has been utterly dominant all day and Sri Lanka have just not had a solution for it. His century has taken him just 107 balls and included 15 fours!

WICKET - KL Rahul falls for 85

Believe it or not, Sri Lanka have a breakthrough! Change in bowling has brought a wicket here. Rahul charges down the track against Malinda Pushpakumara but the ball had a bit of drift and moved in towards the right hander. The result is that Rahul's bat turned in his hand when he looked to hit over mid on and the shot was mistimed. Karunaratne at mid on timed his jump well to send Rahul on his way for 85. India 188/1

Lakshan Sandakan generated good turn and even got an edge off Rahul's bat that went past Angelo Mathews at first slip, but apart from these, normal business has resumed in Pallekele. Dhawan and Rahul have been largely comfortable with their run-making, with Dhawan nearing another superb century.

LUNCH - India 134 for 0

The 40-minute break will put Sri Lanka out of their misery for a while here. They've been atrocious. Not surprising then that the majority of Pallekele has decided to spend their weekends away from cricket. Dhawan and Rahul have scored perhaps their easiest half-centuries to take India to 134 for 0 in 26 overs.

I see what you did there....

KL Rahul has scored his seventh successive half-century - a fantastic record to hold!

Here's a thought...

50 for Dhawan, 100 up India

Lahiru Kumara returns after a disastrous first spell (of 3 overs), but hardly sees a turn in fortune. He concedes two fours in the first over to bring up India's 100 in just the 18th over. Shikhar Dhawan creamed one through covers to reach his 44-ball half-century!

Chance goes begging

The first real chance of a breakthrough is provided by Karunaratne but Lahiru Kumara's effort on the field isn't enough. KL Rahul was early on his flick shot and ended up hitting it high up in the air. Kumara at mid on was late to react to run backwards and ended up failing to hold onto the ball despite getting his hands to it with a dive. India 67/0

India own the first 45 minutes

This is domination of a different level. Sri Lanka are unbelievably listless at the moment. India have raced away to 50 in the 10th over. Dinesh Chandimal picked five bowlers, and yet he's already turned to part-time medium pacer Dimuth Karunaratne.

Bright start for India

This is too easy for Dhawan and Rahul. Appears to be an absolute batting beauty in Pallekele, as demonstrated during Lahiru Kumara's 16-run over. India have cruised to 37 for 0 in 6 overs.

- KL Rahul's last six Test innings scores : Rahul's last six Test innings - 90(205), 51(85), 67(102), 60(124), 51* (76), 57(82).

While you await the start of the game, we suggest you indulge in this cracking interview by Vishaal Loganathan with one of Sri Lanka's heroes from India's last tour in 2015 - Dhammika Prasad.

TEAM SHEETS

INDIA XI: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha (w), Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav
SRI LANKA XI: Upul Tharanga, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal(c), Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella(w), Dilruwan Perera, Malinda Pushpakumara, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara

TOSS - India opt to bat first

Yet another victory at the start for Virat Kohli. 'No brainer' he says about his decision to bat first. The only change for India is the forced one - Kuldeep Yadav is in for Ravindra Jadeja. Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando have been picked in place of Rangana Herath, Nuwan Pradeep and Dhananjaya de Silva for the hosts.

Build up - Last chance for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka have been arm-twisted and pinned down to the ground over the course of the last two weeks. They've had moments, albeit very few, and still remain grounded. Now is their last opportunity to try and get out of India's stronghold - but the hope, going into the game, won't be too high.

India come to Pallekele at the back of two supremely convincing Test victories, and even in the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, they looked primed for a 3-0 series win. Jadeja's suspension is perhaps worth a debate, but his unavailability has opened up a spot for the highly-impressive left-arm chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav.

Sri Lanka have a chinaman bowler of their own in Lakshan Sandakan, who replaces the injured Rangana Herath. Contrary to what the lack of a potent match-winner does to the Indian team, Sri Lanka will begin under pressure without their chief wicket taker.