Colombo, Aug. 6: Needing a win to level the series the world’s top-ranked Test team may have made a hash of things in the ongoing third Test. India did all the right things early on, reducing Sri Lanka to 87/7 in their second innings, but thereafter lost the plot badly.
The hosts first recovered on the back of fighting efforts from Thilan Samaraweera (83) and Ajantha Mendis (78) and their 118-run stand for the ninth wicket to help post a challenging 257-run victory target and then hit the Indians where it would have hurt with three quick wickets before close of play here on Friday.
As it stands, the equation is simple: India need 204 to square the series, and have seven wickets in hand. On the downside is the fact that they have lost first innings centurion Virender Sehwag, fellow-opener Murali Vijay and Rahul Dravid with just 53 on the board.
The visitors also will have to tackle the rampant Suraj Randiv (3/20) and Mendis on a wearing wicket in chase of a target that ended up being far beyond what they would have envisaged after the morning session. Between lunch and close of play, it all went pear-shaped for the Indians.
For now, it is the familiar figure of Sachin Tendulkar holding the fort with night watchman Ishant Sharma and the prospect of a hard final day of cricket to come.
Pragyan Ojha and later Amit Mishra grabbed five wickets inside the first 11 overs to prompt thoughts of a four-day finish.
Samaraweera thwarted all that with his workmanlike 218-minute, 139-ball effort. He also found a willing partner in Mendis to script the recovery, and it set the stage for Randiv’s fireworks in the Indian chase.
The visitors needed to see out the day without too much damage but Randiv, opening the attack, struck thrice to leave India tottering.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka (1st innings) 425
India (1st innings) 436
Sri Lanka (2nd innings overnight 45/2)
T. Paranavitana c Dhoni b Sehwag 16, T. Dilshan c Vijay b Sehwag 13, K. Sangakkara c Raina b Ojha 28, S. Randiv lbw b Ojha 6, M. Jayawardene c Dravid b Ojha 5, T. Samaraweera c Dhoni b Mithun 83, A. Mathews c Tendulkar b Mishra 5, P. Jayawardene lbw b Mishra 0, L. Malinga lbw b Sehwag 15, A. Mendis c Raina b Mishra 78, C. Welegedara not out 4
Extras (lb4, w4, nb6) 14
Total (in 85.2 overs) 267
FoW: 1-32, 2-39, 3-63, 4-77, 5-78, 6-87, 7-87, 8-125, 9-243, 10-267
Bowling: Mithun 8-1-22-1, Sharma 17-3-54-0 (w4, 4nb), Ojha 28-5-89-3, Sehwag 15-0-51-3, Mishra 17.2-1-47-3 (nb2)
INDIA (2nd innings)
M. Vijay c M. Jayawardene b Randiv 27, V. Sehwag c M. Jayawardene b Randiv 0, R. Dravid b Randiv 7, S. Tendulkar batting 11, I. Sharma batting 2
Extras (lb4, nb2) 6
Total (in 18 overs) 53/3
FoW: 1-10, 2-27, 3-49
Bowling: Malinga 6-1-16-0 (nb1), Randiv 9-2-20-3, Mathews 2-0-5-0, Welegedara 1-0-8-0 (nb1)