1.45 pm: Just plain astounding how Sri Lanka turned this match around. Dinesh Chandimal should be the man of the match for his century, because that proved to be the difference in the end. India could not cope with the pressure as Herath came to the fore and for all their talk about being aggressive, the one thing that was missing on Day 4 from India was aggression.
Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri clearly have a few questions to answer, because this was abysmal from India. As well as SL fought back, Ind threw this match away, a match they should have won, probably by an innings, on Day 3.
That's it from me for this live blog. I need to go drown my sorrows in you-know-what after having to watch India collapse quicker than a house of cards. See you right here for the second Test match, which starts in Colombo on Thursday.
1.44 pm: Rangana Herath: What a wonderful comeback, getting all out for 183, we had a bad time in the first innings, but after that we did recover well. I thought I needed to give my best, I gave my 100 percent and that is why I succeeded I guess."
1.40 pm: Sangakkara acknowledges the crowd in his final Test match in Galle. He certainly would not have thought it would end in victory as he made that walk back to the pavilion after being dismissed yesterday. Sanga's teammates carry him on their shoulders and a lap of honour is done. Fitting Galle farewell for the great man.
1.36 pm: Kaushal continues and he gets the final Wicket, Mishra 15, 36b, 3x4) gone! A bat-pad, the ball loops up and the silly point takes a simple catch. India all out for 112 in 49.5 overs. Sri Lanka win the Test match by 63 runs.
Crazy scenes follow with the Sri Lanka players going wild. The umpire go upstairs to check for the no-ball and after a long look, it is fine and SL can celebrate again. Everyone is congratulating everyone and what a victory this has been. Dinesh Chandimal is pumped up and so is the old man Rangana Herath, who took an amazing seven wickets in the match.
1.33 pm: Aaron gets off strike immediately in the Herath over with a single, with Mishra then going into block-mode. Might as well go for his shots now, not like he has much to lose, considering the situation. He does just that as another jump down the track fetches him a four, this time over extra cover. Takes a single to keep the strike as well. India 112/9 in 49 overs, 64.
1.29 pm: Kaushal goes around the stumps to Mishra, who tries to get that single needed to get back on strike for the next over, but fails to, so instead he hits a boundary with a loft straight back off the final ball. Aaron to face Herath next. India 106/9 in 48 overs, 70.
1.25 pm: Seven wickets for Herath and he nearly gets his eighth as a big appeal is made for an lbw. Aaron survives and India survive another over. India 102/9 in 47 overs, 74.
1.21 pm: Herath is pressing and probing, and he is able to manufacture a Wicket, Rahane (36, 76b, 4x4) gone! That's that for India now, as Sri Lanka are almost there. A perfect left-armer's delivery to the right-hander, that drifts in and turns away, with Rahane poking his bat out and getting the outside edge through to Mathews at first slip, who takes the catch low down easily. India 102/9 in 46.3 overs.
1.19 pm: Mishra has to play Kaushal from ball one, and he does that well enough, with a boundary thrown in as well as a full ball is planted to the long-off boundary for a four. It also brings up the 100. India 102/8 in 46 overs, 74.
1.15 pm: Rahane takes a single first ball. Mishra gets an outside edge, but soft hands and a drop of the hands ensures the ball does not carry to Angelo Mathews at first slip. Mishra then looks to take the attack to Herath, steps out, does not time his shot at all, but the ball falls safely and a single is taken. India 98/8 in 45 overs, 78.
1.12 pm: With vacant spaces on the offside, Rahane gets the reverse-sweep out and gets a four to the point boundary. The conventional sweep then gives him a single. Rahane is showing how India should have played the Sri Lanka bowlers from the beginning. Mishra does well in defence again. India 96/8 in 44 overs, 80.
1.08 pm: Rahane takes a single again, this time off the second ball, bringing Mishra on strike for the first time against Herath. Right on the money is Herath, but Mishra defends well. India 91/8 in 43 overs, 85.
1.04 pm: Kaushal cannot keep Mishra on strike, as the batsman gets to the other end with a single to the legside, by walking down the track. Rahane then goes for the sweep again, but can't find the gap this time. Takes a single off the third ball to bring Mishra back on strike. Mishra survives the three balls, with a big appeal from SL for a bat/pad turned down by umpire Bruce Oxenford. India 90/8 in 42 overs, 86 needed.
1 pm: Solid over from Herath, as Rahane blocks the first five balls and us unable to take a single off the final ball. India 88/8 in 41 overs, 88 needed.
12.57 pm: What does Rahane do now. Does he trust Mishra, who is a decent batsman, or does he now go into T2- mode and hope to just smash those runs if possible? Maybe the latter, as Rahane gets a boundary with a nice sweep shot to square-leg off Kaushal. Rahane then gets two with a fine dab down to fine-leg. Takes a single off the fifth ball, leaving Mishra one ball to face of Kaushal. Mishra plays it to the onside, but Rahane says no to the single that was available. India 88/8 in 40 overs, 88 needed.
12.51 pm: Rahane again picking the singles to the onside. Ashwin looks to use his feet to Herath again, but not quite able to manufacture them into a good stroke. And then, Wicket, Ashwin (3, 20b) gone! Final ball of the over, Ashwin comes down the track and plays a good-looking lofted drive to the onside. Only problem, it is not far enough away from mid-on, and Dhammika Prasad takes a smart catch to his right. Sri Lanka now only need two wickets, the torment for India fans is almost over. India 81/8 in 39 overs, 95 needed.
12.48 pm: Kaushal as expected from the other end. Rahane gets off strike first ball with a single, and Ashwin then sees off the rest of the over, with Kaushal, again on target. India 80/7 in 38 overs, 96 needed.
12.45 pm: Nice and accurate from Herath as always, and Rahane is happy to defend with the full face of the bat. One run in the first over of the second session, with Rahane taking a single to the onside. Play is interrupted a little as a kite falls onto the field. India 79/7 in 37 overs, 97 needed.
12.41 pm: Ashwin and Rahane are out, India at 78/7, needing another 98 runs for victory. Herath to bowl.
12.38 pm: Almost there for the second session, the one that will, most probably, be the final one. Sri Lanka are close to victory, they just need three wickets, and the way Herath and Kaushal have bowled, it might not take too long.
12.05 pm: What a session for Sri Lanka. Herath was rightly criticised in the first innings, but how about that for an answer back. Harbhajan can learn from this, that is how you silence your critics. As good as SL bowled, though, India were awful with the bat, plain and simple awful.
The intent in the morning was wrong, with India not looking to score, and as the pressure increased, the wickets fell, and the more the wickets fell, the pressure was cranked up higher and from there, India's back was broken.
There is still the slightest of hopes for India as long as Rahane (18, 43b, 2x4) is in the middle with a capable bat in Ashwin (3, 10b) at the other end. They will need to take India home really, even if Amit Mishra is not a bad bat.
It has been an extremely unhappy Independence Day for India and their fans so far. Is there hope? Yes. Can India win? Yes. Will India win? Extremely unlikely. Sri Lanka just need three wickets, and if they get Rahane next, the match is over. Back in half-an-hour.
12.02 pm: Last over before Lunch and Ashwin survives a couple of lbw appeals. SL are certainly excited, and why shouldn't they be, the way they have fought back in this match. A single brings the target down to double figures. India 78/7 in 36 overs, 98 needed. Lunch.
11.58 am: Herath continues, and Ashwin looks as comfortable as any other batsman has looked to the spinner. Using his feet well is the right-hander, he averages 35 in Test cricket, but India will need a few more from him today if they are to pull this one out somehow. Rahane gets a welcome boundary with a cut as Herath drops the ball short. India 76/7 in 35 overs, 100 needed.
11.54 am: Kaushal stays on target and Rahane is not sure what to do. Goes for what India have done all day, blocking. India 70/7 in 34 overs, 106 needed.
11.51 am: Ashwin now. Comes in and immediately uses his feet, gets a couple straight back to get off the mark. India 69/7 in 33 overs, 107 needed, might as well be 17, SL will still win.
11.47 am: Wicket, Harbhajan (1, 7b) gone! Harbhajan is not happy, but he is out. Herath has a five-for. The ball hits his front pad and then it hits his bat and loops up with Kaushal Silva taking another outstanding catch diving forward. India 67/7 in 32.3 overs.
11.46 am: Kaushal to Harbhajan Singh should be interesting, as the right-hander comes on strike after Rahane takes a single second ball. With the infield on the offside vacant, Harbhajan takes a single. The final ball of the over turns square and Rahane is lucky the ball does not hit the stumps off his pads. Not pretty for India fans, I'm afraid. India 67/6 in 32 overs, 109 more runs needed.
11.42 am: Harbhajan Singh comes in, not R Ashwin. Go be aggressive man, Ravi Shastri would have said, I'm guessing. Wicket maiden from Herath, India 65/6 in 31 overs, 111 more runs needed.
11.38 am: Wicket, Saha (2, 11b) gone! India are not even putting up a fight and it is Independence Day, as Saha gets beaten in the flight, overbalances, and Chandimal whips off the bails in a hurry with the batsman well out of his crease. India 65/6 in 30.3 overs.
11.36 am: Kaushal continues. Pressure stays, with just a couple of runs in the first five balls and then Rahane finishes the over with a couple via a cover drive. India 65/5 in 30 overs, 111 more.
11.33 am: Herath keeps going. Doesn't give anything away again, as blocks. Man there has been some mighty blocking from India today hasn't there, for what reason, Shastri will answer by somehow bringing aggression into the sentence no doubt. India 61/5 in 29 overs, 115 more.
11.30 am: Wriddhiman Saha is in. Takes a single to the offside to get off the mark. Where do India go from here, amazing turnaround in the game. So much for aggression from India 61/5 in 28 overs, 115 more.
11.27 am: ShikharDhawan is looking to play the sweep to Kaushal, doesn't get it right and then Wicket, Dhawan (28, 83b, 3x4) gone! Oh dear, this is absolute carnage. India's most important batsman is walking. A ball on legstump, Dhawan looks to work it to the onside, only gets a leading edge and Kaushal takes an outstanding return catch diving forward. Sri Lanka are pumped, they can sense this victory now, amazing stuff! India 60/5 in 27.3 overs.
11.24 am: Dhawan is using his feet to Herath, and that gives him a single second ball to long-on. Rahane is a little more tentative to the veteran, with the ball going away. India 59/4 in 27 overs, need another 117 runs.
11.21 am: Good solid over from Kaushal, as Rahane blocks four balls and then take a single to mid-on. Dhawan takes one to the onside as well. India 57/4 in 26 overs, need another 119 runs.
11.17 am: Herath continues and Dhawan gets a couple with a weird-looking reverse-sweep. Looking to get the runs now are Ind, realising their mistake, perhaps, from the first hour. Drop and run from Dhawan and then Rahane takes a single off the final ball. India 55/4 in 25 overs, need another 121 runs.
11.14 am: Kaushal again, and just a run comes off the over, as Rahane is watchful. India 51/4 in 24 overs, need another 125 runs.
11.11 am: Herath continues and Dhawan takes a single to bring new batsman AjinkyaRahane on strike. Rahane is looking jittery here, as a ball flies to the short leg fielder, who can't quite pouch it. It was only off the pad, but still the way SL are appealing, you never know. Soon after, though, Rahane drives one through the covers for a boundary. Positive intent is needed, because otherwise the bowlers will be all over them. Where is this positive intent that India have been talking about so much, because it ain't here on Day 4 so far. India 50/4 in 23 overs, need another 126 runs.
11.03 am: Tharindu Kaushal is in for the first time on Day 4. First ball on legstump is picked off for a single by Dhawan, with Kohli then doing the same off the next delivery. Not too much spin to begin with for Kaushal, who is a little too full in this first over of his. But as I say that, Wicket, Kohli (3, 10b) gone! So much for a captain's innings aye. India only have themselves to blame, they have put themselves on pressure by playing too cautiously in the opening overs. Kohli tries to flick a ball on legstump to the onside but an inside-edge onto his pad carries to the short leg fielder Kaushal Silva, who takes a really nice catch diving low. India 45/4 in 22 overs, need another 131 runs. Drinks time.
10.58 am: Herathrunning through his overs, and also appealing for anything that even remotely hits the pads. The pressure is cranked up here, really cranked up. Kohli gets off the mark with a flick to midwicket for a couple, and then nearly plays one on as he goes for the expansive drive. The ball, thankfully for India, hits his pads off the inside edge. India 42/3 in 21 overs, need another 134 runs.
10.56 am: Dhawan scores his first runs of the morning in streaky fashion. An inside-edge that could have easily gone onto the stumps, misses by a whisker and runs away for a boundary. Dhawan then gets a couple to the offside. India 40/3 in 20 overs, need another 136 runs.
10.53 am: Wonder what Ravi Shastri and Kohli have to say about Rohit at No.3, or in Test match cricket, period, now. Quite pathetic he has been in this Test match, and this should surely be his final chance.
10.52 am: Kohli defends the final ball of the Herath over. India 34/3 in 19 overs, need another 142 runs.
10.49 am: Herath produces a quick over, with Rohit looking for that ball to attack, but not finding it. And then, Wicket, Rohit (4, 16b, 1x4) gone! Third wicket for Herath and India are now in serious trouble. Awful batting from Rohit, does not read the ball at all, albeit a good one, and he plays inside it with the ball cannoning onto off stump. Herath is pumped, Sri Lanka are pumped, could they really pull this one out. Virat Kohli now. India 34/3 in 18.5 overs, need another 142 runs.
ot finding it. And then, Wicket, Rohit gone! India 34/3 in 19 overs, need another 142 runs.
10.47 am: Not sure what Dhawan's plan is here. Because the more he defends – he is on 13 from 61 balls -- the more the runs are dried up, the more pressure it creates, especially with Herath bowling well at the other end.
10.46 am: Around the wicket from Pradeep, Dhawan defends some more. India 34/2 in 18 overs, need another 142 runs.
10.42 am: A fired-up Herath again to Rohit. Uses his feet to the left-arm spinner, but cannot get off the mark as he finds the man at mid-off. Then gets that cover drive out to a full ball with a little bit of width and Rohit has his first runs, a boundary. Defends the remaining balls. India 34/2 in 17 overs, need another 142 runs.
10.39 am: Pradeep continues. Dhawan again extremely watchful, but a bit of worry for SL here as Pradeep is warned for running onto the pitch. One more warning and he can't bowl again. So he needs to be careful about where he lands. Third straight maiden, outstanding bowling from SL, they are certainly creating the pressure. India 30/2 in 16 overs, need another 146 runs.
10.35 am: Brilliant first over from Herath, a wicket maiden, as Rohit sees off the remaining five deliveries. India 30/2 in 15 overs, need another 146 runs.
10.33 am: Rohit Sharma now. Could be a Test career-defining innings this.
10.31 am: Wicket, Ishant (10, 23b, 1x4) gone! First ball of spin on Day 4 and Herath dismisses the nightwatchman. Ishant gets a long stride in, but the ball hits him in line and Nigel Llong raises the finger. India 30/2 in 14.1 overs.
10.30 am: Pradeep continues to impress. Right lines and lengths, and Dhawan is not given a chance to put anything away, while his bat is beaten a couple of times as well. Really slow start from Ind, but crucially no wicket fallen yet. India 30/1 in 14 overs, 146 more runs needed.
10.25 am: Angelo Mathews bowls for the first time in this innings. Picked up a wicket in the first innings, but bowled just four overs. Comfortably negotiated by Ishant, who picks up a couple to the onside, in between some short stuff from the bowler. India 30/1 in 13 overs, 146 more runs needed.
10.19 am: Another probing over from Pradeep. The fast bowlers have bowled well to the India batsmen, not given any loose deliveries for Dhawan to take advantage. India 27/1 in 12 overs, 149 more runs needed.
10.14 am: Bit of aggression from Prasad as he drops one short to Ishant, who is able to duck under comfortably. It is also a no-ball, though, and that is another run less for the batsmen to score. Ishant then gets a single with a shot to the onside. India 26/1 in 11 overs, 150 more runs needed.
10.09 am: Dropped by Thirimanne. Ishant should have been walking back. Is drawn into the drive by Pradeep, gets a regulation outside edge, but Thirimanne cannot hang onto the catch at second slip, diving low to his left. Good over from Pradeep, beats Dhawan's bat as well, on the money from first ball. India 24/1 in 10 overs, 152 more runs needed.
10.05 am: Pace from both ends as Nuwan Pradeep is given the ball.
10.04 am: Prasad on target from the off, with Dhawan defending comfortably. Wants to make the batsman play more and so comes around the wicket, but Dhawan is happy to let the ones outside off go. Maiden over from Prasad to start play on Day 4. India 23/1 in 9 overs, 153 more runs needed.
10 am: Dhammika Prasad to bowl to Dhawan.
9.58 am: India need 153 more runs to win, Sri Lanka nine wickets. Dhawan and Ishant are the batsmen as the SL players walk onto the field and so the India batsmen.
9.51 am: Jehan Mubarak: "Given the situation we were in, we will take this situation. We would have liked a few more runs, but we will take it. We bowled well yesterday, in the right areas and hopefully we can do it today.
"The pitch is slowing down and the batsmen have gotten used to the pace of the wicket. But there will be some unplayable deliveries and we need to capitalise on that.
"A victory is possible, if a victory was going to be possible anywhere, it was going to be in Galle. We have two good spinners in Tharindu Kaushal and Rangana Herath, so we are optimistic."
9.41 am: "We are trying to realise their potential," says India fielding coach R Sridhar. "We try and get as specific and as personalised based on the players and where they will field. Once Virat decided Rahane was going to be in the slips, we decided to do the drills around that."
9.34 am: It's going to be slow turn today, reckons Jonty Rhodes. But there is some rough out there now for the spinners to exploit and it could come into play. Aggressive batting could be the key, adds the South African.
9.32 am: Nice and sunny again here in Galle, so over to the bat and ball contest now.
9.03 am: Dinesh Chandimal was the superstar of Day 3 of this 1st Test for Sri Lanka, and India will now need a start of their own on Day 4, to play that calm-as-they-come innings to see them through to victory on Saturday.
That man is as likely to be Shikhar Dhawan as anyone else, with the left-hander looking quite serene in his eight-over stay at the crease before close of play on Friday.
Hello and welcome ladies and gentlemen to IBTimes India's Live coverage of Day 4 of this India vs Sri Lanka first Test. First of all, Happy Independence Day to all the Indians out there, let's hope the cricketers give all Indians something to smile about on this auspicious day. Stick around right here till the end – and this match will end on Day 4 barring rain -- for the live blog and updates as it happens.
Dhawan scored an impeccable century in India's first innings – kinda overshadowed right now by that stunning knock from Chandimal – and if the Delhi man manages to apply himself in a similar manner, this should be easy enough for India.
But then, India never do easy do they? The fans have been treated to some "Oh man, what on earth is going on here" moments a little too often to be calm and serene going into this Day 4.
India need another 153 runs for victory, and the way the wicket has played as the days have worn on in this Test match, it should be makeable.
Sri Lanka will not hear that, of course, and they are sure to ramp up the pressure from ball one. If Ishant Sharma, the nightwatchman, and Dhawan can put on a decent partnership to open Day 4, it should go swimmingly for India, if not....
Day 4 Live Streaming options are right HERE, while if you feel like going through the Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 As It Happened, do feel free.
