Late slump hinders India

India's Tendulkar will miss the Sri Lanka series

First Test, Galle: Sri Lanka v India 163-5 (day one)

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India lost wickets late on the rain-affected first day of the first Test against Sri Lanka to leave the match evenly poised

The visitors finished the day on 163 for five after being put into bat by Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya.

India had been well-placed at tea on 95 for one, but four wickets in the final session left honours even.

Sadagopan Ramesh was the first to fall, driving off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan to Jayasuriya at short cover when on 42.

Shiv Das went after the tea break when he edged Chaminda Vaas to Jayasuriya at first slip for 40 before a contentious umpiring decision.

Rahul Dravid was adjudged to have edged a ball from Muralitharan into his pads to Russel Arnold fielding close in.

Batting replacements

Muralitharan was extracting prodigious turn but two late strikes from paceman Dilhara Fernando gave Sri Lanka a late boost.

He ripped through the defences of 20-year-old Mohammad Kaif and just before stumps he removed Hemang Badani.

Captain Sourav Ganguly was unbeaten on 10 and Sameer Dighe two not out when play closed for the day.

Play was earlier affected by rain with the opening session cut short and throughout the day progress was slow, with the visitors scoring at less than two an over.

Sri Lanka included all-rounder Suresh Perera at the expense of wicket-keeper batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana, with Kumar Sangakkara taking the gloves.

Sri Lanka also recalled 34-year-old Hashan Tillakaratne two years after the left-hander played the last of his 56 Tests.

India picked Kaif and left-hander Badani for only their second Tests, taking the batting slots left vacant because of injuries to Sachin Tendulkar and Vangipurappu Laxman.

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Sri Lanka: ST Jayasuriya, MS Atapattu, K Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene, RP Arnold, H Tillakaratne, ASA Perera, WPUJC Vaas, CRD Fernando, M Muralitharan, PDRL Perera

India: SC Ganguly, S Ramesh, SS Das, M Kaif, R Dravid, HK Badani, SS Dighe, Harbhajan Singh, J Srinath, BKV. Prasad, Z Khan