Team India Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni cracked an unbeaten century as India tightened the noose around a hapless Sri Lanka by taking an imposing 333-run first innings lead and set the platform to push for victory in the third and final cricket Test in Mumbai on Friday.
Although Virender Sehwag (293) narrowly missed becoming the first cricketer to score three triple hundreds in Test history, there was no respite for the visitors as the Indians rattled up their highest-ever total before declaring at 726 for nine at the fag end of the third day.
After Sehwag's carnage on the second day, the runs came at a much slower pace but Dhoni (100 not out) stole the thunder with some lusty hits to notch up his third Test ton and put India firmly in the driver's seat.
Rahul Dravid (74), VVS Laxman (62) and Sachin Tendulkar (53) chipped in with useful contributions for the Indians who need to win this match to climb to the number one spot in the ICC Test rankings.
Required to face three overs, the Sri Lankans reached 11 for no loss with the two openers Tillakaratne Dilshan (3) and Tharanga Paranavitana (8) remaining unseparated at stumps on the third day which again belonged to the home team. The islanders trailed India by 322 runs.
The Indians posted their highest ever Test total of 726 for nine declared, ecliping the previous best of 705 for seven declared against Australia at Sydney in 2004.
With two more days left in the Test, India will fancy their chances of pulling off a victory with the Brabourne track expected to deteriorate and assist the spinners.
The focus was on Sehwag when play began this morning but the swashbuckling opener fell just seven runs short of his third triple century.
Sehwag, who resumed the day at 284 in a team total of 443 for one last evening, checked a drive off Muttiah Muralitharan at the last moment and was caught and bowled by the wily off-spinner for 293.
It was a big disappointment for the Delhi dasher and the crowd gathered at the Brabourne stadium as Sehwag was gradually moving towards becoming the first batsman in the history of the game to score three triple centuries.
Batting legends Don Bradman of Australia and Brian Lara of the West Indies are the only other players to have scored two triple centuries in Test history.
Sehwag did not add any boundary to his last evening tally of 40 fours and seven sixes and faced 254 balls and shared a 237 runs for the second wicket with Rahul Dravid in 264 balls.
The Lankans also got rid off Dravid (74) before Sachin Tendulkar and V V S Laxman carried the hosts to lunch without further damage
Murali who had wilted under the brutal assault by Sehwag yesterday finally had his revenge and his first wicket of the match in his 22nd over after the home team added only 15 runs to their overnight score.
Sehwag, who bludgeoned the Lanka bowlers yesterday, was cautious today and took his runs in singles and twos.
He added nine runs before Muralitharan, bowling round the wicket, turned the ball a bit as Sehwag attempted to loft it initially before changing his mind.
The double-mindedness resulted in the ball taking the thick inside edge and popping back to the bowler who juggled with the catch before completing it to the delight of his teammates.
An over earlier Dravid, unbeaten 62 last evening, survived a very confident caught behind the wicket appeal while attempting to cut left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.
But Dravid, who lofted Herath for a six two balls later, chased a ball angled across by Welegedara and was caught behind by Prasanna Jayawardene.
The in-form middle-order stalwart struck five fours and a six in his 147-ball essay.
Tendulkar, playing in a Test in Mumbai for the first time since being booed off the field at the nearby Wankhede Stadium three years ago against England, was given a rousing reception and started confidently by paddle-sweeping, on-driving and pulling the two Lanka spinners for fours.
Apart from Sehwag and Rahul Dravid (62), who both were dismissed in the pre-lunch period, the home team lost the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar (53), VVS Laxman (62), Yuvraj Singh (23) and Harbhajan Singh (1) in the post-lunch session.
Lanka should have got rid off Dhoni when he edged one off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath but Mahela Jayawardene reacted late at the first slip and the ball raced to the fence. Dhoni was on six at that time.
The hosts added 93 runs in 27 overs in the afternoon session, a far cry from yesterday when they went at more than five an over with Sehwag leading the assault on the hapless Lankan attack.
Post-lunch, Tendulkar reached his 54th half-century in 88 balls and helped himself with six fours before dragging one from Nuwan Kulasekara on to his stumps.
The dismissal also ended the 71-run fifth wicket stand between Tendulkar and Laxman.
Laxman then square cut Welegedera for two boundaries to reach his 42nd half-century in 129 balls with six fours in it.
Laxman lost his patience and threw his wicket, bringing cheers for the Lankans. The well-tossed up ball invited Laxman to have a go and the leading edge was taken behind the bowler by Kulasekara to give Murali his second wicket.
Herath got rid off an uncomfortable-looking Yuvraj by luring him out to be caught at mid off when he miscued an aggressive shot and soon Harbhajan Singh was bowled trying to reverse-sweep Murali. PTI
