Rangana Herath picked up seven wickets in a sublime display of left-arm spin bowling to power Sri Lanka to a spectacular comeback win by 63 runs against India on the fourth day of the opening cricket Test at Galle.
Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Trailing for most of the match after being all out on the opening day for 183, the hosts scythed through the Indian order with 37-year-old Herath adding six wickets to his overnight dismissal of opening batsman Lokesh Rahul for his 22nd five-wicket haul in Tests.
Off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal, who took five wickets in the first innings, provided superb support by picking up three more in the second innings as India, who resumed the day on 23-1, were shot out for 112 an hour after lunch.
Ajinkya Rahane (36) was the only Indian batsman to provide some resistance but he too fell to Herath, edging the wily spinner to home captain Angelo Mathews at slip.
The second Test, the last for retiring Sri Lankan batting stalwart Kumar Sangakkara, will start on Thursday in Colombo.