Rohit Sharma scored his fourth test half-century as India overcame an early collapse to press home its advantage in the third test against Sri Lanka to go to lunch at 132-5 on the fourth day Monday with a 243-run lead.
Sharma came to the crease when India was precariously placed at 7-3 and added 57 runs for the fourth wicket with captain Virat Kohli (21) and another 54 runs for the fifth wicket with Stuart Binny.
Binny was batting on 38 with Naman Ojha on 11 at the break.
Sharma was out for 50 caught in the deep by Nuwan Pradeep trying to pull seamer Dhammika Prasad. He faced 72 deliveries and hit a six and four boundaries.
Kohli was out earlier caught in slips by Upul Tharanga off Pradeep.
Seamer Pradeep returned figures of 3-33 and Prasad had 2-44.
The pair rattled India's top order on Sunday claiming three early wickets.
Prasad struck with the second ball of India's second innings to dismiss first-innings centurion Cheteshwar Pujara with no score on the board.
Pradeep bowled Lokesh Rahul (2) and trapped Ajinkya Rahane lbw for 4, as India went from 2-2 to 7-3.
Earlier Sunday fast bowler Ishant Sharma picked up five for 54, a seventh five-wicket haul in test cricket to help India bowl out Sri Lanka for 201 after India made 312 in its first innings.
Sri Lanka lost six wickets for only 47 runs and was facing the prospect of a follow-on when Kusal Perera scored 55 on his test debut and shared a 79-run stand for the seventh wicket with Rangana Herath to carry Sri Lanka past the mark.
Herath made 49 and Sri Lanka's total was helped by tailenders Prasad (27) and Tharindu Kaushal (16) as the tail added 154 runs to the total.
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