India’s aspirations of winning their first series on Sri Lankan soil since 1993 assumed greater shape by the end of day two of the first Test in Galle, where the hosts were 5/2 down and trailing by 187 runs in their second innings. Centuries to Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli, and later a maiden Test fifty to Wriddhiman Saha, had formed the bulk of India’s 375 and when R Ashwin and Amit Mishra bowled Sri Lanka’s openers for ducks in the first two overs of their second innings, the mood at Galle International Stadium was decidedly in India’s favour.
