In their first Check outing since the 5-0 Ashes whitewash by Australia, an England side featuring debutants slid to 22-2 & 120-4 after being put in to bat on a green-tinged wicket.
But Ian Bell (56) & Moeen Ali (48) started the fightback before Root & Matt Prior punished a tiring assault in the evening sunshine.
Yorkshire batsman Root, batting at in a new-look top six, reached his third Check century in the penultimate over of the day to finish 102 not out & Prior batted with increasing authority for an unbeaten 76. Both players had been dropped in the latter stages of England's capitulation in Australia. But they marked their returns with confidence-boosting innings, albeit against a workmanlike Sri Lanka attack with little experience of English conditions.
"There's nothing that beats Test cricket and the challenge of scoring runs in the first Test of the summer after the winter we had was something that I relished," said Root.
"After a difficult winter the way Matty came back into the side was testament to his character and ability."
As England began their new era under coach Peter Moores, a capacity crowd enjoyed a captivating day in which the hosts battled hard to wrest back the initiative that Sri Lanka had gained in the early part of the day.
With the experienced trio of Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Graeme Swann all departed for different reasons, England handed out three new Test caps for the second consecutive match for the first time since 1937-38.
But a new era produced familiar failings as their top order succumbed to reckless shots.
Debutant Sam Robson and Gary Ballance were caught behind pushing at deliveries from Nuwan Pradeep they should have left, and in between captain Alastair Cook played on to Nuwan Kulasekara attempting to cut a ball that was too close to his stumps.
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