THARANGA Paranavitana and Kumar Sangakkara tormented India’s bowlers for a second time in a row to help Sri Lanka consolidate on the opening day of the second Test today.
The left-handed duo, who hit centuries in the victorious first Test in Galle, put on 136 for the unbroken second wicket as the hosts moved from their lunchtime score of 128-1 to 235-1 by tea.
Paranavitana, revelling in the familiar setting of the Sinhalese Sports Club, for whom he plays in domestic cricket, was unbeaten at the break on 89.
Sangakkara, who won the toss and elected to take first strike in typically good batting conditions at the SSC, was on 80.
Paranavitana brought up the century partnership and the 200 of the innings by lofting Harbhajan Singh for a six over mid-wicket. He has also hit nine boundaries.
Paranavitana and Tillakaratne Dilshan put on 99 for the first wicket in 18 overs to give Sri Lanka a flying start.
Dilshan smashed 54 off 42 balls before he was caught at short extra-cover by Venkatsai Laxman off left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha to provide India their only success in the match so far.
Dilshan hit Ishant Sharma for four consecutive boundaries and then took three in one over from the other seamer, Abhimanyu Mithun.
India, trailing 1-0 in the three-match series, suffered twin blows when opener Gautam Gambhir and middle-order batsman Yuvraj were ruled out of the key match.
Gambhir failed to recover from a knee injury, while Yuvraj developed high fever overnight.
The duo were replaced by left-hand batsman Suresh Raina, making his Test debut after playing 98 one-day internationals, and opener Murali Vijay.
Sri Lanka changed the entire frontline bowling attack that won them the first Test by 10 wickets.
With Muttiah Muralitharan now retired and fast bowler Lasith Malinga injured, the hosts replaced them with spinner Ajantha Fernando and Dilhara Fernando.
Also out were left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and seamer Chanaka Welegedara. Their places went to debutant off-spinner Suraj Randiv and fast bowler Dammika Prasad.