Dhawan and Kohli centuries boost dominant India
Hundreds from Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli saw India build on their dominant position against Sri Lanka on day two of the first Test.
Shikhar Dhawn and Virat Kohli helped India ram home their position of dominance over Sri Lanka on the second day of the first Test in Galle.
Both men reached centuries on Thursday as India built a first-innings lead of 192, having bowled the home side out for 183 on the opening day.
In their second innings, Sri Lanka were unable to survive the four overs before the close as they lost both openers without scoring, reaching stumps 5-2, still 187 adrift.
Resuming day two on 128-2 and just 55 behind, Dhawan and Kohli made smooth progress, extending their third-wicket partnership to 227 before the captain was dismissed for 103.
Dhawan, dropped on 28 on day one, eventually fell for 134, before Wriddhiman Saha's maiden Test fifty helped the tourists to a huge advantage.
With Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva both falling before the end of play, Kumar Sangakkara walked to the crease for the last time in Galle, and even a man of his considerable talent has almost no hope of saving Sri Lanka now.
Kohli, 45 not out overnight, brought up his half-century in the fourth over of the day as he and Dhawan continued to grind down the Sri Lanka attack.
Dhawan brought up three figures with a fine cover drive for four and Kohli joined him on the landmark with a similar shot, but fell later in the same over as Tharindu Kaushal (5-134) trapped him lbw.
Kaushal pinned Ajinkya Rahane for a duck in his next over and the second new ball brought almost instant reward for Sri Lanka as Nuwan Pradeep (3-98) enticed Dhawan to play on.
Pradeep also bowled Ravichandran Ashwin for seven and after tea Kaushal claimed the scalps of Harbhajan Singh (14) and Amit Mishra (10).
Saha (60) was unfortunate to be given out caught behind off Pradeep when the ball appeared to strike his helmet and the innings was wrapped up as Varun Aaron (4) fell to Kaushal.
After taking eight wickets between them in the first innings, spinners Ashwin (1-0) and Mishra (1-1) opened the bowling and castled Karunaratne and Silva respectively, leaving Sri Lanka staring at defeat inside three days.