SL vs Ind 1st Test: India five wickets away from win, Sri Lanka 224/5

Galle: India has managed to send half of Sri Lanka's side back to the pavilion with latter scoring 224 runs after 63 overs on the penultimate day of the opening cricket Test at Galle International stadium here on Saturday.

India tightened their grip on the fourth morning of the opening cricket Test by setting a mammoth 550-run target and then took Sri Lankan wickets on regular interval.

At the break, opener Dimuth Karunaratne (44) and Kusal Mendis (24) went unseparated with a 56-run third wicket stand after India pacers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav packed back Upul Tharanga (10) and Danushka Gunathilaka (2), respectively.

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Earlier, resuming the day at 189/3, India skipper Virat Kohli (103 not out) went on to complete his 17th Test century, before the visitors declared their innings at 240/3.

Brief Scores:

India: 600 & 240/3 (Virat Kohli 103, Abhinav Mukund 81) vs Sri Lanka 291 & 85/2 (Dimuth Karunaratne 44 not out, Kusal Mendis 24 not out, Umesh Yadav 1/26)

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with IANs inputs...