Rahul (98 of 174 balls) put on 164 runs for the third wicket with skipper Virat Kohli (78 of 107 balls; 8x4; 1x6) and steadied India's first innings after two early blows in the morning session at P Sara Oval.
At the tea break, 23-year-old Rahul had put on 30 unbeaten runs for the fourth wicket with Rohit Sharma (17 batting). Rahul had so far hit 12 fours and a six.
While he had looked fluent until that mark, he suddenly looked very edgy for a brief period of play thereafter. Kohli scored only two runs in 32 minutes during this passage of play, and it was left to Rahul to keep the scorecard ticking.
The youngster from Karnataka did not disappoint and reached his first Test fifty off 94 balls. Their 100-run partnership had earlier come in the 29th over.
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As Kohli walked off dejected, Rohit Sharma walked in and negotiated the 8.3 overs remaining before tea.
Rohit started off nervously, pushing and prodding the ball, but hit a six and a four off Herath in the penultimate over before tea to ease at the break.