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India 172 (Pujara 52, Lakmal 4-26) and 171 for 1 (Dhawan 94, Rahul 73*) lead Sri Lanka 294 (Herath 67, Mathews 52, Thirimanne 51, B Kumar 4-88, Shami 4-100) by 49 runs
Kolkata: India started strongly in their second innings after Rangana Herath's defiant half-century gave Sri Lanka a handy 122-run lead on day four of the rain-hit opening Test on Sunday.
The hosts were 171 for one at stumps, leading Sri Lanka by 52 runs at Kolkata's Eden Gardens. Opener Lokesh Rahul (73*) and Cheteshwar Pujaraand (2*) were at the crease when early called off.
Shikhar Dhawan (94), six runs shorts of his seventh Test century. Dhawan struck a 116-ball 94.
Rahul and Dhawan then replied with aggression that has typified their recent Test run. Sunny overhead conditions and a surface that seemed to have settled down helped drastically.
With Dhawan on 94 and fading light closing in, he committed the only two mistakes of his innings on the same delivery. He drove loosely at Dasun Shanaka, but an inswinger found his inside edge.
He reviewed immediately, and replays showed a sharp spike as ball passed bat. India finished the fourth day at 171 for 1, with a lead of 49. Cheteshwar Pujara, who finished unbeaten on 2, could become the ninth batsman to bat on all five days of a Test.
The left-right batting combination of Dhawan and Rahul handled the Sri Lankan pacemen with aplomb on a sunny afternoon -- a welcome change from the rainy start on the first two days.
Earlier, it was Herath who lit up his team's chances with a defiant 67 -- his third Test fifty -- that steered the visitors to 294 in their first essay.
The islanders, who started the day on 165-4 in response to India's 172, suffered a middle-order stutter before Herath put on stubborn partnerships against a persistent pace attack.
The left-handed Herath, Sri Lanka's premier spin bowler, showed great resolve during his knock which lasted 105 balls and included nine boundaries.
He finally fell to paceman Bhuvneshwar Kumar after mistiming and slicing to deep point.
Kumar and fellow quick Mohammed Shami claimed four wickets each.
The visitors are seeking their first Test win on Indian soil in the three-match series.
