Sri Lanka vs India, 2nd Test: Visitors hold upper hand as R Ashwin strikes early

Colombo: Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed two early wickets to put India on top of the second Test after the visitors posted 622-9 declared against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday.

 Ravichandran Ashwin got rid of openers Upul Tharanga for nought and Dimuth Karunaratne for 25 to leave the hosts reeling at 50 for two at stumps on the second day.

Kusal Mendis on 16 and skipper Dinesh Chandimal on eight were batting at close of play with the hosts still trailing by 572 runs in their first innings at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.

Earlier six Indian batsmen scored 50 or more including an unbeaten 70 by Ravindra Jadeja as the tourists posted their biggest total in Sri Lanka.

The 217-run fourth-wicket partnership between overnight centurions Cheteshwar Pujara, who top-scored with 133, and Ajinkya Rahane remained the highlight of the innings.

Veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed four wickets for Sri Lanka, which suffered new injury worries after paceman Nuwan Pradeep left the field on day one with a pulled hamstring.

India's wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha made a patient 67 and Ashwin scored 54 before becoming Herath victims.

Debutant left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara picked up two wickets. They included batsman Rahane for 132 -- his maiden Test scalp -- in the morning session.

Part-time bowler Dimuth Karunaratne claimed Pujara, who added just five runs to his overnight 128.

India, who lead the three-match series 1-0, need a win to clinch the series. The hosts need at least a draw to keep their hopes alive.

Scorecard
India (1st Innings): Shikhar Dhawan lbw b Dilruwan Perera 35, Lokesh Rahul (run out) 57, Cheteshwar Pujara lbw b Karunaratne 133, Virat Kohli c Mathews b Herath 13, Ajinkya Rahane st Dickwella b Pushpakumara 132, Ravichandran Ashwin b Herath 54, Wriddhiman Saha st Dickwells b Herath 67, Hardik Pandya c Mathews b Pushpakumara 20, Ravindra Jadeja (not out) 70, Mohammed Shami c Tharanga b Herath 19, Umesh Yadav (not out) 8. Extras: (b8, lb4, nb2) 14. Total: (for 9 wkts, in 158 overs) 622 decl.
FoW: 1-56, 2-109, 3-133, 350-4, 5-413, 6-451, 7-496, 8-568, 9-598.
Bowling: Pradeep 17.4-2-63-0, Herath 42-7-154-4, Karunaratne 8-0-31-1, Perera 40-3-147-1 (2nb), Pushpakumara 38.2-2-156-2, de Silva 12-0- 59-0.

Sri Lanka (1st Innings): Dimuth Karunaratne c A. Rahane b Ashwin 25, Upul Tharanga c Rahul b Ashwin 0, Kusal Mendis (batting) 16, Dinesh Chandimal (batting) 8. Extras: (lb1) 1. Total: (for 2 wkts, in 20 overs) 50.
FoW: 0-1, 33-2.
Bowling: Shami 3-1-7-0,  Ashwin 10-2 -38-2, Jadeja 7-4-4-0.