Half-centuries from Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni powered India to a comfortable six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first one-day international in Dambulla.
Opening batsman Gambhir (62) and Raina (54) added 113 runs for the second wicket after India had lost Sachin Tendulkar (five) cheaply to a dubious leg-before decision while chasing 247 for victory.
Dhoni (61 not out) then took command, putting on 44 runs for the fourth wicket with Yuvraj Singh (23) and 66 runs with Rohit Sharma (25no) as India overhauled the target with just under two overs to spare.
Sanath Jayasuriya (107) had compiled his 28th ODI century and Kumar Sangakkara made 44 in difficult conditions as Sri Lanka finished with a decent 246 for seven after being asked to bat first.
Sri Lanka then claimed the early breakthrough when left-arm seamer Thilan Thushara rapped Tendulkar on the pads with a delivery that pitched just outside leg stump and straightened.
Kumar Dharmasena, umpiring his first ODI, upheld a vociferous appeal, although replays showed the height was questionable.
Left-hand batsman Gambhir, opening in place of Virender Sehwag who was ruled out due to injury, steadied the innings in the company of Raina.
An accurate line from Thushara and Nuwan Kulasekara had kept the batsman quiet, but Raina broke the shackles by hitting Kulasekara for a six and two boundaries in the bowler's fourth over.
The two easily tackled Sri Lanka's feared spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis, both going on to amass half-centuries.
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