Spinners Dunith Wellalage (3-42) and Maheesh Theekshana (2-26) kept Sri Lanka in the hunt but Dasun Shanaka's side were left to rue a limp performance with the bat.
The contest between England's dialled-down "Bazball" approach and Australia's more methodical batting could determine who prevails in the Ashes series beginning in Perth on Friday.
Australian run-machine Marnus Labuschagne is willing to "sacrifice" the use of saliva to shine the ball in order to get back on the field in the post coronavirus world as the batting all-rounder feels players must be able to adapt to new rules. There has been widespread speculations that the use of saliva and sweat to shine the ball will be stopped to cut down the risk of spreading the highly contagious coronavirus when cricket restarts.
Australia's opening partnership has been the subject of much debate since David Warner retired and remains unresolved less than a month before the World Test Championship final against South Africa.
India find themselves in a spot of bother against Australia in the third Test at Indore.
Root reached the milestone during his 69th WTC appearance - a single pushed to deep backward square leg brought up yet another half-century and sealed his place in the record books.
Images from Day 1 of the third Test between Australia and South Africa at the SCG on Wednesday.
The hosts lost six wickets in the first session for 94 runs after resuming on four for no loss on Day 2 of the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne.
Australia, who won the toss and batted in the day-nighter, reached 248 for four at stumps with Labuschagne 110 not out and Travis Head unbeaten on 20.
Images from the opening day of the second Test between Australia and Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Jasprit Bumrah overtook spin great Bishan Singh Bedi's all-time record for the most wickets by an Indian bowler in an away Test series.
England's Stokes praises Australia's Head, supports his own errant batters
Pakistan's ODI series victory in Australia showcased the raw pace and skill of their fast bowling attack, spearheaded by Haris Rauf.
Australia ruthlessly completed a 159-run victory over West Indies in the first Test in Barbados on Friday after Josh Hazlewood's five-wicket masterclass broke the hosts' resistance on a pitch that deteriorated into a bowler's paradise.
'That so many have reached such an advanced stage of their careers without obvious replacements is certainly a reflection of their quality, but will be a matter of concern in the case of more injuries during the series.'
Australia, who won the preceding T20 series between the sides, lost opener Travis Head and number three Marnus Labuschagne inside four overs.
Sam Konstas has vowed to take a more conventional approach than in his early Test appearances for Australia
'In terms of a great first year, it was an amazing summer and hopefully, I can better that this time... Hopefully, against a side like India, testing yourself against one of the best bowling attacks in world cricket at the moment'
Australia's historic pedigree in cricket's biggest tournaments will count for nothing when they run into an Afghanistan side that is fast cementing its place in the game's top table in the Champions Trophy match in Lahore on Friday.
Images from Day 3 of the fifth Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Young spin-bowling all-rounder Cooper Connolly will replace injured Matthew Short in the Australian squad for the knock-out stages of the ongoing Champions Trophy.
Australia, who have already secured their place in the final of the World Test Championship against South Africa, won the opening Test, also in Galle, by an innings and 242 runs.
While Sheffield Shield game for South Australia on a bouncy track would have been ideal preparation for Perth, Head feels that he will relax bit before resuming training for the India series.
Australian batter Steve Smith is "focussed" on taking them all head on in the game beginning in Adelaide on Friday.
The opening day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground saw its share of thrilling moments, the stump mic provided a unique insight into the intensity within the Indian camp.
In a high-pressure clash against India in the Champions Trophy semi-finals, Steve Smith seemed to have destiny on his side.
Steve Smith continued his outstanding Ashes form, striking an unbeaten 60 as Australia recovered from another failure by their openers to reach 170-3 at the close of the rain-affected first day of the fourth Test against England.
Konstas has been drafted in to replace Marnus Labuschagne, who opened in the World Test Championship final alongside Khawaja but failed to impress as Australia lost to South Africa by five wickets.
England have not won an Ashes Test match in Australia for nearly 15 years but their batting firepower could prove decisive in the series starting in Perth next month, according to former captain Alastair Cook.
Rohit Sharma's decision-making has come under intense scrutiny, especially after the team's failure to contain Australia's innings in the first session of Day 2.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 2nd Ashes Test played at Lord's on Sunday
Virat Kohli booed by home fans after bumping shoulders with Konstas on the pitch after the 19-year-old smashed India's bowlers around the park early on.
Shubman Gill's unbeaten 129 in Delhi wasn't just another century; it was history etched in numbers and intent.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 3rd Test played between India and Australia in Indore on Friday.
Travis Head's blistering century powered Australia's innings on Day 2 of the second Test against India
IMAGES from Day 1 of the fourth Ashes Test between England and Australia at Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday.
Fascinating glimpses from Day 5 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia.
Pujara scored an unbeaten 130 as India finished day one at 303 for four.
The world No. 2 India are heading into the five-Test Border-Gavaskar series, starting in Perth on Friday, following their whitewash at home, which ended their 12-year unbeaten run in their own backyard.
Australia will have to dust off the cobwebs but are still fancied to successfully defend their World Test Championship crown against equally ring-rusty South Africa in the final at Lord's.
