Defiant batting by India’s tailenders and twin blows by part-time spinner Virender Sehwag left the third and final Test against Sri Lanka evenly poised yesterday.
India, chasing Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 425, were reduced to 321-6 in the post-lunch session of the third day, before the last four wickets added 115 runs to take the total to 436.
Sehwag, who scored a century earlier in the day, then dismissed Sri Lanka’s openers to leave the hosts on 45-2, a lead of 34 runs.
Sehwag had Tharanga Paranavitana caught behind with his fifth ball and dismissed Tillakaratne Dilshan in his next over, snapped up at short-leg by Murali Vijay.
Kumar Sangakkara was unbeaten at the close on 12 while nightwatchman Suraj Randiv had yet to score.
India were bolstered by eighth-wicket pair Abhimanyu Mithun and Amit Mishra, who added 64.
They came together when Mahendra Singh Dhoni was dismissed for 15 in the post-lunch session with India still 75 adrift of Sri Lanka’s total.
Mithun made 46 before he was caught in the leg-trap off Randiv.
Mishra (40) holed out in the deep off Randiv, who also removed Ishant Sharma to finish with 4-80.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga took 3-119, while spinner Ajantha Mendis took 2-109.
India, who began the day at 180-2, were dealt two quick blows as Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed in the first over and Sehwag in the sixth.
On 41 Tendulkar slashed at Malinga to edge a catch to wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene.
Sehwag, on 97 overnight, reached his hundred in the second over by pulling Randiv for four.
Randiv had the last laugh as Sehwag top-edged a skier to Chanaka Welegedara in the covers.
VVS Laxman and Suresh Raina hit half-centuries before Mendis dismissed both in the space of three overs after lunch.
Laxman edged a catch to Mahela Jayawardene in the slips after making 56, while Raina played an uppish drive to Sangakkara at mid-wicket.
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