Virat Kohli said India had no one to blame but themselves after Sri Lanka produced a remarkable fightback to win the first Test by 63 runs.

Sri Lanka looked to be heading for defeat in Galle after slumping to 5-3 and 95-5 in their second innings having been skittled for 183 in the first.

However, Dinesh Chandimal's unbeaten 162 lifted Sri Lanka to 367 all out, before a stunning return of 7-48 from left-arm spinner Rangana Herath saw India dismissed for a dismal 112 on Saturday.

Kohli acknowledged Sri Lanka's excellent comeback, but was left to rue his side's dramatic collapse.

"We have got no one to blame but ourselves," Kohli said.

"Credit to [Sri Lanka captain] Angelo [Mathews] and his team. We failed to capitalise after taking the first five wickets [in Sri Lanka's second innings]. 

"We should have finished the game in that session, one bad session and the game can turn, that is how Test cricket is.

"Rangana Herath is an outstanding bowler, he put our batsmen under pressure. It [the pitch] behaved strangely, it looked hard on the first morning. Angelo [Mathews] chose to bat, it started spinning, in our first innings it played nicely and we got a good total.

"We thought it would get more difficult , the way Dinesh and the others batted, they kept Sri Lanka in the hunt."