Two wickets apiece for Ajantha Mendis and Chaminda Vaas in the final session of day one brought Sri Lanka right back into the second Test against India at Galle.

India hit their way to 151 without loss by lunch thanks to some destructive stroke-making from Virender Sehwag, but no play was possible in the second session because of rain.

The impressive Sehwag was unbeaten on 128 by the end of the day but, once he lost opening partner Gautam Gambhir for 56, wickets fell in a cluster as India slipped from 167 without loss to 214 for four at the close.

India were hopelessly outplayed in the series opener in Colombo, Sri Lanka winning by an innings and 239 runs, leaving captain Anil Kumble to demand a marked improvement from his players. They seemed determined to set the record straight with their openers overcoming a nervous start to set about the Sri Lankan bowling attack with vigour.

Vaas and Nuwan Kulasekara caused a few problems for India early on but once they were removed in favour of spinners Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan the run rate increased.

Mendis and Muralitharan, who combined for 19 of the 20 Indian wickets to fall in the first Test, were hammered to all parts of the Galle International Stadium. The only chance offered by the India batsmen was when Gambhir, then on 13, was dropped by Kumar Sangakkara at first slip.

Sehwag was the chief aggressor, piling on 91 in just 82 balls before the break, while Gambhir reached his half-century in a more stately 92 deliveries.

The players were frustrated as rain washed out the whole of the afternoon session, and the break worked very much in Sri Lanka's advantage. Sehwag stormed to his 15th Test hundred in 87 balls courtesy of a six and a four in the space of four balls from Vaas, but that was as good as it got for India.

Mendis trapped Gambhir plumb lbw with one of his many variations and the batsman's call to the third umpire, more in hope than expectation, was predictably unsuccessful.

Rahul Dravid managed just two before becoming Mendis' second victim in his next over, though replays showed the ball had struck Malinda Warnapura's helmet as he juggled the catch at short leg - meaning Dravid should have survived.

Vaas then took over, removing both Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly in an over. Tendulkar had scored three when he played outside the line and was lbw, while Ganguly had not got off the mark when he edged behind and was the victim of a fine leaping catch from Prasana Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka wicketkeeper.

V V S Laxman survived an lbw decision, which Sri Lanka had referred to the third umpire, to remain alongside Sehwag on 13 when bad light brought a premature end to proceedings.