Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella struck half-centuries Monday as Sri Lanka recovered to post 215–5 at tea on day three in the first test against India in Galle.
Sri Lanka trail by 247 runs with five wickets in hand, with Dickwella batting on 72 and Dinusha on 62.
Their unbroken 125-run stand for the sixth wicket steadied the Sri Lankan innings after India had reduced them to 99-5 at lunch.
Dinusha, a prolific run-scorer in domestic cricket but playing just his fourth test, brought up his second half-century in the five-day format.
Dickwella, brought back into the side after more than three years, took his chances, sweeping the spinners well and posting his 23rd half-century in tests.
India's spinners troubled the Sri Lankan batsmen in the morning session with five quick wickets on a pitch that offered them plenty of assistance.
But once the ball got softer, batting became easier and the slow bowlers were rendered ineffective.
India were earlier bowled out after adding just two to their overnight score of 460-9.
Devdutt Padikkal scored 167 while Rahul and Dhruv Jurel hit half-centuries.
INDIA: Shubman Gill (capt.), K.L. Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (wkt), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
SRI LANKA: Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella (wkt), Prabath Jayasuriya, Keshara Nuwantha, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara.