Openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag hit half-centuries as India began a spirited fightback on the penultimate day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad.
Gambhir cracked an unbeaten 74 and had partnered Virender Sehwag (51) and Rahul Dravid (38) in useful stands, but the visitors hit back to reduce India to 190 for two at close, still 144 in deficit of Sri Lanka's first innings total.
Sri Lanka, fuelled by a marathon innings from Mahela Jayawardene (275) and a career-best 154 not out from Prasanna Jayawardene had declared their first innings on 760 for seven - a lead of 334 and with more than four sessions remaining.
India had made a belligerent start to their second innings with Sehwag providing the initial momentum.
The opener, however, had survived several reprieves early in his innings, the first on 11 when an edge off fast bowler Dammika Prasad flew between first slip and the wicketkeeper.
In the previous over Sehwag was dropped by Prasanna Jayawardene, but off a no-ball and survived a run out attempt on 23, Muttiah Muralitharan, at mid-on, missing a direct hit at the non-striker's end with the batsman yards away from the safety of the crease.
Sehwag then settled down to play a steady hand, but was snared by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath in the first over after the tea interval.
Sehwag had already bludgeoned the bowler for his seventh boundary to reach his half-century and attempted another hoist over mid-wicket only to edge to Angelo Mathews at mid-on.
The opening pair had added 81 together and Gambhir, far more fluent and precise than Sehwag, then added 88 with Dravid for the second wicket.
Dravid, who had rescued India from total capitulation with a knock of 177 in the first innings, again looked in impeccable touch, his stay punctuated with six boundaries.
Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara had shuffled his bowlers around and left-arm fast bowler Chanaka Welegedara struck at end of the day, securing Dravid's wicket.
Replays, however, suggested the bowler was lucky with his leg-before appeal.
With just under five overs remaining for stumps, nightwatchman Amit Mishra (12 not out) joined Gambhir and ensured no further success for the visitors.
In the morning, Sri Lanka, continuing from 591 for five overnight, had immediately settled to the task of accumulating runs.
Mahela Jayawardene, 204 overnight, had lent impetus by cutting Ishant for two boundaries in three deliveries in the bowler's third over.
The former captain then went past the 250-run mark and later scaled 9,000 runs in Tests - only the ninth batsman in a list headed by Sachin Tendulkar to achieve the mark.
Prasanna Jayawardene, 16 short of a century at the start of play this morning, reached 99 with an edged boundary that fell just short of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and went past the wicketkeeper.
Another more decisive and fluent cut to the third-man boundary in the same over helped the wicketkeeper batsman to the three-figure mark - only his second Test century.
Leg spinner Mishra finally found success when he bowled Mahela Jayawardene for 275 just after play resumed in the afternoon session, luring the batsman out of his crease and beating him with flight and turn.
That dismissal ended a partnership which yielded 351 runs - the highest ever for the sixth wicket.
Prasad (21) and Prasanna Jayawardene took the lead past the 300-run mark when Prasad, playing a rash of attacking strokes, holed out to Mishra in the deep, before the declaration eventually arrived.
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