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India reach 50-2 after rain forces early lunch

India's captain Virat Kohli plays a shot during the first day of their third and final test cricket match against Sri Lanka in Colombo August 28, 2015. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

COLOMBO (Reuters) - India lost two quick wickets in a rain-truncated morning session to reach 50-2 at lunch on the opening day of the third and final test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Friday. Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews was rewarded by his fast bowlers with the wickets of opener Lokesh Rahul (two) and in-form batsman Ajinkya Rahane (eight) after he chose to bowl on a pitch sporting a covering of grass. India captain Virat Kohli (14) survived some nervous moments to stay unbeaten with Cheteshwar Pujara (19) when heavy rain forced the players off the ground for an early lunch break. Rahul was dismissed by Dhammika Prasad with the second delivery of the day with the batsman shouldering arms to be clean bowled. Rahane, who scored a century in India's victory in the second test last week, batted confidently before he missed a straight delivery from Nuwan Pradeep to be given out leg before wicket. India were 14-2 at that stage and looked set for more troubles but debutant wicketkeeper Kusal Perera spilled an edge from Kohli with the batsman on eight. Kohli was once again lucky when he edged Prasad but the ball fell short of the first slip. The hosts made three changes to the side that lost the second test last week with lower order batsman Jehan Mubarak and paceman Dushmantha Chameera being dropped while Kumar Sangakkara retired from international cricket. Hard-hitting batsman Perera, left-handed batsman Upul Tharanga and paceman Nuwan Pradeep were drafted in for the deciding test of the series tied at 1-1. India also handed a test debut to a wicketkeeper-batsman with Naman Ojha replacing Wriddhiman Saha, who was been ruled out with a hamstring injury suffered in the second match. Pujara, whose last match was the Boxing Day test against Australia, replaced injured opener Murali Vijay in the only other change in the visiting team.