First-Test batting hero Devdutt Padikkal (117, 193b, 12x4), with luck on his side, continued from where he had left off with another splendid knock, while skipper Shubman Gill struck an even 50 (63b, 6x4) as India, opting to bat first in good batting conditions, reached 300/5 when stumps were drawn for the day at the SCC Stadium on Sunday.

Ravindra Jadeja's (43) dismissal towards the fag end of an extended day -- shouldering arms to Asitha Farnando (3/46) only to find the off-stump rattled and an injury cloud over Rishabh Pant who retired hurt after being hit in his forearm soon after tea break -- helped Sri Lanka claw their way back.

Opener K L Rahul's promising start ended with a rank-bad shot -- chasing a short, wide delivery from Asitha -- while Yashasvi Jaiswal (45, 53b, 9x4) was surprised by a delivery that sharply swerved into him. After dominating the 37 and 29-run stands with Rahul and Padikkal respectively, Jaiswal, striking the ball as well as he has ever done, fell against the run of play. Having struck Asitha for three fours in four balls, the southpaw failed to cover the right-arm pacer's in-coming delivery, managing only an inside edge onto the stumps.

Asitha, having taken some punishment, had a few words for Jaiswal, who turned back to confront the bowler. Other Lankan players quickly intervened and separated the two, but not before both players appeared to have headbutted each other.

Asitha, however, deserves a word of praise for the way he bowled. He was skillful, varied his pace and toiled hard to return just rewards.

Jaiswal's exit brought Padikkal and Gill together, and the two saw off the remainder of the first session without much damage, with India at 88/2.

India, who handed off-spinner Saransh Jain his Test debut while leaving out an "ill" Kuldeep Yadav, looked trouble-free until a moment of indiscretion from Gill spoiled what had otherwise been a perfect session for them. Without being overly aggressive, Padikkal and Gill kept the game moving with spinners looking ineffective till the second half of the final session and pacers beginning to tire. The spinners even employed negative lines to stem the flow of runs and slow down the game.

Soon after Padikkal brought up his half-century, Gill reached his ninth Test fifty in what was the final over before tea. Not unlike Rahul, the right-hander swiped at a short, wide delivery from Asitha, only to edge behind, where Niroshan Dickwella took the catch at the second attempt, ending the day's most productive stand of 120 runs.

Lanka summoned pacer Lahiru Kumara as Rishabh Pant arrived at the crease and, as in Galle, employed the short-ball tactic from around the wicket, targeting his body. One of those deliveries struck Pant on the left forearm, forcing him to retire hurt.

Padikkal, dropped on zero and one, wasn't going to let the Lankans off the hook. Barring those two early blemishes, the left-hander looked in absolute control of his innings. Manipulating the field and punishing loose deliveries, of which there were plenty, the 26-year-old remained the glue around which India's innings flourished.

He wasn't as dominant as he had been in Galle, but displayed great temperament and character after two reprieves. Looking comfortable against both pace and spin, he gathered the majority of his runs square of the wicket, exhibiting a solid backfoot game. Ironically, he was dismissed when he moved back deep into the crease, only to find Keshara Nuwantha's delivery too full to poke away, with the slight away turn taking the top of off. The stylish batter walked away to cheers from supporters and pats from a few Lankan players, perhaps securing the No. 3 position.

Padikkal's departure ended a 74-run (115-ball) association with Jadeja who had all but seen the day through before an error in judgement left India in a somewhat iffy spot.

Quote -

See for me the intent is on the temperament is on and with the pace he (Devdutt Padikkal) batted as well... he batted with a very good strike rate. It's a really good sign for us. He had been waiting for his turn for the last year and a half or maybe two years. And I am so happy that the way he prepared he got that opportunity. Sitanshu Kotak, India's batting coach

SCORE BOARD Jaiswal b Asitha 45 (86m 53b 9x4) Rahul c Dickwella b Lahiru 18 (55m 33b 2x4 1x6) Padikkal b Nuwantha 117 (288m 193b 12x4) Gill c Dickwella b Asitha 50 (148m 108b 6x4) Pant (retd hurt) 3 (15b) Jadeja b Asitha 43 (115m 83b 4x4) Jurel (batting) 7 (46m 21b 1x4) Jain (batting) 4 (5m 5b 1x4) Extras (B-4 LB-3 NB-1 W-5) 13 Total (for 5 wkts 85 overs) 300 Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Rahul) 2-66 (Jaiswal) 3-186 (Gill) 3-207 (Pant retd n.o.) 4-281 (Padikkal) 5-296 (Jadeja) Bowling: Asitha 16-5-46-3 Lahiru 13-4-38-1 Jayasuriya 27-4-90-0 (w-4) Nuwantha 22-0-93-1 (w-1 nb-1) Dinusha 1-0-2-0 Dhananjaya 2-0-8-0 Mishara 4-0-16-0.