Sri Lanka bat against India in first Test

GALLE: Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat in the first Test against India at the Galle International Stadium on Sunday. The match marks the final Test appearance for world bowling record holder Muttiah Muralitharan, who needs eight more scalps to reach the 800-wicket mark. The start was delayed by 30 minutes due to a wet outfield caused by heavy overnight rain. Bad weather has been forecast on all five days of the Test. India awarded a Test cap to 20-year-old Abhimanyu Mithun, who will partner Ishant Sharma in the absence of the injured duo Zaheer Khan and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth. Sri Lanka went in with two seamers in Lasith Malinga and Chanaka Welegedara, and brought in Rangana Herath to share spin duties with Muralitharan. India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Venkatsai Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Abhimanyu Mithun, Ishant Sharma. 12th man: Murali Vijay. Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath, Chanaka Welegedara. 12th man: Suraj Randiv. Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS) and Rod Tucker (AUS) TV umpire: Tyronne Wijewardene (SRI) Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)