Colombo: After being reduced to 12-2 in the very fifth over, India were rescued to a formidable position by opener Lokesh Rahul along with their skipper Virat Kohli with a 164-run third wicket partnership that took the visitors to 319-6 at stumps on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Rahul hit his second Test hundred (108) in his fourth match, while Kohli stuck a half century (78) to take the fight back to the hosts.

Later, batting at number five, Rohit Sharma went on a hit in a fluent 79 (including three sixes and five boundaries) before being dismissed by Angelo Mathews in the 88th over.

Being dropped at 11, Rahul grabbed the opportunity and went on to compile his second hundred in 180 balls. Meanwhile, the India skipper too played positively and built the Indian innings with Rahul. Herath ended Kohli’s 107-ball knock while Rahul fell after top edging a Chameera bouncer.

Earlier, India made three changes, bringing in Vijay, paceman Umesh Yadav and all-rounder Stuart Binny in place of Shikhar Dhawan, who has been ruled out of the series with a fractured hand, Varun Aaron and Harbhajan Singh.