Highlights, 3rd Test, Day 4: India close in on win as Sri Lanka totter at 31/3 in pursuit of 410

End of another day's play between India and Sri Lanka. At the start of the day Sri Lanka were bowled out quickly, giving India a lead of 409 runs. The Indian batsmen came out with a positive intend to score quick and get as much as overs to bowl at Sri Lanka. Skipper Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma got their respective fifty's and got them at almost run-a-balls. Most of the Indian batters clipped with runs except Vijay and Rahane. The Sri Lankan bowlers didn't trouble the Indian batters as they scored quiet quickly to the end. India eventually declared their innings at 246/5.

As Shami and Jadeja striked early, India now have three wickets in hand as Sadeera, Karunaratne and Lakmal's dismissal adds more pressure on Chandimal's men as they aim to do their best in the fifth and final day tomorrow. (SCORECARD)

HIGHLIGHTS, INDIA VS SRI LANKA, 2ND TEST, DAY 4 AT DELHI

16.36 IST: The light meter comes out yet again.... and this time, it signals the end of day's play as it is really very dark out there. That's STUMPS, DAY 4! Hush, all the drama that we've had towards the end has to pause for some time now.

16.33 IST: Angelo Mathews comes out to bat.

16.32 IST: OUT! Jadeja removes Suranga Lakmal. He barely stepped in and now he heads back for a duck. SL 373, 31/3 in 15.4 overs

16.29 IST: OUT! Jadeja removes Karunaratne. Sri Lanka lose their second wicket.  SL 373, 31/2 in 15.1 overs

16.27 IST: SIX! Unexpected and totally out of the Blue! de Silva hits R Ashwin for a big one. Dhananjaya goes big and gets the desired result. Ashwin tosses it up around middle and leg, de Silva gets down on one knee and slogs it over deep mid-wicket. There's nobody in the deep and it wouldn't have mattered as the ball goes the distance. First maximum of this innings. SL 373, 31/1 in 14.3 overs

16.21 IST: The crowd at Kotla are doing their bit by motivating the Indian players on the field. 

16.12 IST: Judicious use of the review. Coming in with the arm, de Silva prods forward to defend but seems to have missed it as the ball pings him on the pads. The Indians appeal confidently and up goes the umpire's finger. However, de Silva opts for the review immediately. He looks certain that there is bat involved. The Snicko detects a big spike. Hence, the on-field call is overturned. The Indians are causing all sorts of problems for the visitors. SL 373, 16/1 in 9.5 overs

16.09 IST: Maiden over by Ashwin as Karunaratne and de Silva defend to keeps wickets in hand. SL 373, 16/1 in 9 overs

16.07 IST: RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN is brought in for a bowl. He is a tough customer to handle especially on fourth and fifth day subcontinental tracks.

16.03 IST: DHANANJAYA DE SILVA finds himself out in the middle at the early fall of the wicket. Can he manage to see out the day? Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami is seen throwing up on the field. Has a drink and is ready to bowl.

16.00 IST: OUT! Shami removes Sadeera. A snorter to get rid of Samarawickrama! SL 373, 14/1 in 5.5 overs

15.52 IST: A bit wide outside off, Sadeera is in no mood to flirt with that. SL 373, 12/0 in 4.5 overs

15.50 IST: The crowd is getting into the act. Kohli is egging them on to keep cheering. The Kotla is buzzing with excitement.

15.43 IST: Good length delivery around off, Samarawickrama feels for it and gets it off the outer half of bat towards the slip cordon. SL 373, 9/0 in 2.5 overs

15.35 IST: FOUR! Lucky Karunaratne! The round the wicket angles catches him off guard once again. Fuller length ball outside off, Karunaratne looks to defend it with soft hands but gets a thick outside edge. Saha drives to his left but the ball evades him. It falls short of Pujara at first slip and races away to the fence behind. SL 373, 6/0 in 1.3 overs

15.31 IST: And we get ready with the Lankans coming out to bat. Sadeera and Karunaratne open for the visitors as Ishant Sharma bowls the first over.

The Sri Lankan bowlers tried hard but without much positive results. Each of the bowlers took a wicket each but also conceded runs on a regular basis. With still more than 3 and a half sessions to play out, it will be a stern test for their batsmen. Harsha Bhogle on-air reckons India will have 105-110 overs in hand to bowl the visitors out keeping the bad light in account. The home side are favourites to win this game but stranger things have happened in cricket. Can the tourists bat out of their skins and save this game?

A good batting performance from India has brought them into a position from where it is very unlikely that they will lose this game. Apart from Vijay and Rahane, everyone else chipping in with runs. Pujara missed out on his fifty by a mere run but Kohli and Rohit Sharma succeeded in scoring it.

15.20 IST: 9th Test fifty for Rohit Sharma! Full delivery outside off, driven crisply to sweeper cover for a brace. That's it. INDIA DECLARE ON 246/5.

15.13 IST: India now lead by 400 runs against Sri Lanka. IND (536/7 decl), 239/5 in 51.3 overs

15.09 IST: Ravindra Jadeja comes in to bat. Now it depends on how long will India wait to declare. 

15.08 IST: OUT! Gamage removes Virat Kohli. IND (536/7 delc), 234/5 in 50.4 overs

15.02 IST: Fifty up for Virat Kohli in 55 balls. Anytime soon they will declare as Kohli keeps staring at the dressing room. IND (536/7 decl) 232/4 in 49.6 overs

15.00 IST: FOUR! Hit hard! Back of a length well outside off, Kohli slaps it through point for a rocketing boundary. IND (536/7 decl) 227/4 in 48.6 overs 

14.48 IST:  Oh ho! What a spectacular effort! If he had taken that, it would been an amazing catch. Shows what commitment means to this young man. IND (536/7 decl), IND 214/4 in 46.4 overs

14.42 IST: FOUR! 200 comes up for India and Kohli does it in style. A step forward on Lakmal's delivery. Top class! On a length in line of the stumps, Kohli backs away a bit, comes down the track and lifts it over wide mid-off for a one-bounce boundary. IND (536/7 decl) 204/4 in 44.6 overs

14.35 IST: Fifty partnership comes up for Kohli and Rohit. IND (536/7 decl), 194/4 in 43.3 overs

14.31 IST: We are back for the final session.Dhawan who was playing a bit slowly flourished afterwards. He hit a flurry of boundaries and made a fluent fifty before perishing to Sandakan. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have continued to play free-flowing cricket, keeping the scoreboard ticking. Seems that the score is already good enough against a team which is low on morale. The track is taking a substantial turn as will and some deliveries are keeping extremely low. When will the declaration come? Let's find out in a while.

14.27 IST: Session highlights - 26 overs, 141 runs and 2 wickets. India have swelled the lead to 355 runs and are in total command of the proceedings. They have taken the attack to the opposition, putting them under more pressure. Pujara changed his tempo according to the situation of the game and scored a breezy 49.

Tea Break.

14.07 IST: FOUR!  Sandakan was looking to bowl Sharma from outside leg stump but the batsman is up to the task. Crouches and sweeps it hard past the keeper to pick up another boundary.. IND (536/7 decl), 185/4 in 41.1 overs

14.05 IST: FOUR! Classic Rohit, He is so good with his front foot pull shots. Shortish delivery, Sharma rises with the bounce and nails it over mid-wicket for a boundary. IND (536/7 decl), 181/4 in 39.5 overs

14.01 IST: No ball! Full on middle and leg, clipped to deep mid-wicket for a single. Gamage as overstepped as well. IND (536/7 decl), IND 167/4 in 38.5 overs

13.56 IST: FOUR! Rohit Sharma plays Lakmal's delivery beautifully. Effortless! Length delivery outside off, Sharma leans into it and caresses it through covers for a glorious boundary.  IND (536/7 decl), 164/4 in 38.4 overs

13.50 IST: FOUR! Trademark Kohli! Fullish delivery around off, Kohli walks down the track and whips it using his strong bottom hand. Gets it through mid-wicket for another boundary. IND (536/7 decl), 155/4 in 36.4 overs

13.49 IST: 150 comes up for India as Kohli and Rohit Sharma take the hosts forward. IND (536/7 decl) 150/4 in 36.1 overs

13.46 IST: FOUR! Streaky runs! They count no matter how they come. Back of a length delivery around off, Sharma goes for a half-hearted pull but gets a top edge over first slip and the ball races to the fence.IND (536/7 decl), 150/4 in 36.1 overs

13.43 IST: OUT! Dhawan departs in the hunt to up the ante! It has been a good knock from him nevertheless. Sandakan spots the southpaw charging down the track and hence, smartly floats it around his pads. Extracts substantial turn as well which is good enough to beat the outside edge of Dhawan's bat who was attempting a wild slog across the line. Dickwella collects it nicely and whips the bails off in a flash. Something to rejoice for the Sri Lankans. IND (536/7 decl), 144/4 in 35.3 overs

13.35 IST: FOUR! Dhawan seems have finally found his mojo as he looks confident enough to step up his game. IND (536/7 decl) 135/3 in 34.1 overs

13.33 IST: SIX! The first of the innings and its delivered by none other than the Indian skipper Virat Kohli. IND (536/7 decl), 130/3 in 33.4 overs

13.31 IST: Fifty up for Shikhar Dhawan on his birthday! He took time and has delivered. IND (536/7 decl), 123/3 in 33.2 overs

13.26 IST: FOUR! Dhawan hits and cuts Lakmal's bouncer. IND (536/7 decl), 119/3 in 32.3 overs

13.23 IST: FOUR! Dhawan smashes Lakmal's delivery. Seems like Kohli's entrance has woken Gabbar up. Shot! Fullish delivery around off, Dhawan comes forward and drills it through mid off for another boundary. IND (536/7 decl), 112/3 in 31.3 overs

Time for the skipper, Virat Kohli to make his way to the middle. He is being cheered by his home crowd. He is going through a purple patch at the moment. Knowing the way he goes about his game, he will be eager to take the attack to the opposition. It will also be on his mind about when he should declare.

13.18 IST: OUT! A breezy knock from Pujara comes to an end! Brilliant take from Mathews to leave Pujara one short of a half century. Tossed up delivery around off, Pujara strides forward to play for the turn but it is not present. Ends up getting a thick outside edge that flies towards Mathews at first slip. He is sharp as a hawk, bends low to his left and take a gem of a catch. First wicket for Dhananjaya de Silva in this match.. IND ( 536/7 decl), 106/3 in 30.6 overs

Drinks are on the field now. Although it has been a wicketless hour, the hosts aren't looking in a hurry to score runs quickly.

13.08 IST: 100 comes up for India as Pujara and Dhawan's partnership has stabled the score after the hosts lost two early wickets in Murali Vijay and Ajinkye Rahane. IND (536/7 decl), 100/2 in 29.2 overs

13.05 IST: As the talks about the range of target for Sri Lanka are on, the scorecard of the lone Sri Lanka - Zimbabwe Test played earlier this year flashes on screen. In that game, the Asian side chased down a target of 387 in the fourth innings to win the game. It will be interesting to remember, though, that they were run close by their lesser-fancied opponents. At the same time, currently, their batting doesn't seem to be the same flow as in that game.

13.02 IST: The commentators on air discuss about India's tactics here. They are unable to understand what the thinking might be in the Indian camp as the run rate is hovering around the 3-run mark. They observe that the Indians were more aggressive in the first innings than now, when they have a lead and have to set a target for the Lankans. It is observed that once the ball gets a bit older, the purchase off the surface reduces. Thus, it is imperative to make the right use of the new ball.

12.54 IST: FOUR! Dhawan's first boundary of the innings and comes through misfielding. IND (536/7 decl), 92/2 in 26.3 overs

12.52 IST: Lakmal bowls it outside off, Dhawan charges down and looks to attack the bowler. The ball bounces just in front of the keeper and he fails to make a clean stop. Concedes a bye. IND (536/7 decl), 85/2 in 25.3 overs

12.45 IST: 'Aaaah' shout the Lankans for LBW against Pujara. The umpire doesn't agree and the visitors opt for the DRS. NOT OUT! Nigel Llong has got this spot on! This delivery is floated around off, Pujara lunges forward in defense but gets hit on the front pad. His bat is also very close to the pad. The visitors appeal by the umpire shakes his head in negation. The close-in fielders egg their skipper to review this and he takes it upstairs. IND (536/7 decl), 84/2 in 24.3 overs

12.38 IST: FOUR! Welcome to the attack, says Pujara with a boundary. The bowler has been given a 6-3 leg side field and Cheteshwar says he'll counter that to score runs. De Silva comes round the wicket and floats it around off. The right-handed batsman charges down and drives it beautifully through covers for a boundary. IND (536/7 decl), 79/2 in 23.1 overs

12.36 IST: Fifty partnership for Dhawan and Pujara, the former who has hung on and played it slow from the start. IND (536/7 decl), 80/2 in 22.5 overs

12.35 IST:  'Two, two, two...' shouts Pujara as soon as he clips it towards fine leg. Shows the intensity in the running and gets the brace with ease. IND (536/7 decl), 74/2 in 22.3 overs

12.30 IST: FOUR! Shot! If you want to show someone how to use his/her feet to the ball, this is the one. Perera floats it around off, Pujara slinks down and drives it straight down the ground. IND (536/7 decl), 70/2 in 21.2 overs

12.25 IST: Interestingly, Pujara is batting on 23 off 28 balls while Dhawan is on 20 off 48. A sort of role reversals it seems. Generally the southpaw is known to tee off while the no.3 batter is known to graft it out in the beginning. Seems to be a case of the batsmen playing according to their form and the game time that they've had.

12.24 IST: On a length outside off, Pujara defends it and looks to take a start for a run. As he does so, the ball hits his bat and he ends up pushing it to the man at covers. IND (536/7 decl), 62/2 in 20.2 overs

12.17 IST: FOUR! A misfield. Not acceptable that from KarunaratneFuller outside off, Pujara drives it nicely towards covers. The fielder gets to his left but dives over the ball instead of stopping that. It trickles away to the fence. IND (536/7 decl), 60/2 in 18.2 overs

12.10 IST: The men who matter make their way out to the middle after having what should have been a sumptuous meal. SHIKHAR DHAWAN is seen walking with his left arm around Dickwella's neck. A talk about Delhi weather? Or the menu for the dinner, perhaps? Maybe the plans about the Indian batter's birthday party? CHETESHWAR PUJARA also walks in to the middle, batting at more than run a ball at the moment. DILRUWAN PERERA to kick off the session.

And we're back to start the second session of Day 4. With Pujara and Dhawan still holding on, Team India would want to project a better score as Chandimal and Mathews' tons proved decisive in the first innings.

Lunch Break.

The Sri Lankans will be aiming to trigger a collapse after the lunch interval. Things won't be easy for them though as India have very capable batsmen waiting in the wings. The ploy from India will be to keep batting with a positive mindset and take the visitors out of the game. Join us in a while for the second session.

After bowling out Sri Lanka early in the morning, India have tried to force the initiative but not with much success. Still, the hosts are in the driver's seat with a healthy lead of 214 in their kitty. Rahane was promoted up the order but couldn't capitalize on the opportunity. He survived a couple of DRS calls and never looked settled in the middle. Eventually, he holed out attempting a big shot. Still, the hosts are in the driver's seat with a healthy lead of 214 in their kitty.

11.26 IST: FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries! Shortish delivery outside off, Pujara sits back and punches it through covers to find the ropes again. IND (536/7 decl), 45/2 in 15.5 overs

11.25 IST: FOUR! Well played! Floated delivery on off, Pujara shimmies down the track and drives it elegant past the bowler and mid off for a boundary. With that, Pujara becomes the leading run-scorer in Tests in 2017 going past Dean Elgar. His prolific form continues. IND (536/7 decl), 41/2 in 15.4 overs

11.20 IST: Cheteshwar Pujara comes out to bat alongside Shikhar Dhawan as India make slow progress.

11.14 IST: OUT! Rahane's poor patch continues! He has looked out of sorts throughout the series and his worries only seem to increase. Loopy delivery outside off, Rahane uses his feet and looks to go over long on but the bat turns in his hands. Ends up dragging it towards Lakshan Sandakan in the same region. He bends a bit and pouches it safely. IND (536/7 decl), 30/2 in 13.4 overs

11.05 IST: Coming in with the arm, Dhawan tries to tuck it but gets an inside edge on the pads. IND (536/7 decl), 25/1 in 11.2 overs

11.01 IST: SURANGA LAKMAL is ambling back to the field with a mask on. Immediately removes his mask, hands it to the umpire and gets ready to bowl. IND (536/7 decl), 25/1 in 10.0 overs

10.52 IST: Drinks have been taken. India lose a wicket early in their innings but have come out with a positive intent. Their batsmen are playing shots to deliveries that they would leave on another day. Kohli's decision to send Rahane up the order has seen him getting lucky twice by the review. The Sri Lankan bowlers have bowled well and are using the morning conditions well.

10.50 IST: Review time for Sri Lanka! Chandimal decides to review the decision after a chat with the bowler and the keeper. Ajinkya Rahane is the man in question. Seems close to the naked eye but might be sliding down leg. IND (536/7 decl), 24/1 in 8.6 overs

10.47 IST: FOUR! Great shot! A touch short outside off, spinning in. Rahane rocks back and cuts it against the spin through covers to find the fence. Never easy to plays such shots against spin but he executed that to perfection.. IND (536/7 decl), 24/1 in 8.3 overs

10.40 IST: FOUR! It's been a long while since we last saw Rahane step up and smash Perera's delivery. That shot will ease his nerves! Tossed up delivery outside off, Rahane dances down the track and lifts it over mid off and picks up a boundary to his name.  IND (536/7 decl), 18/1 in 6.5 overs

10.36 IST: Lakmal is struggling. This is the second time Lakmal is throwing up on the field. He hasn't been able to cope up with the hazy conditions. The Sri Lankan players are wearing their masks again. Dasan Shanaka comes on for the pacer.

10.30 IST: Length delivery outside off, not much nibble in the air. Dhawan leaves it alone and lets it sail into the gloves of the keeper. IND (536/7 decl), 12/1 in 5.1 overs

10.27 IST: A scare for the Indian team. Lakmal's delivery hits Rahane's pads and the Umpire raises the finger. A wise decision to take the DRS and the review shows the delivery missing the stumps. A relieved man between the wickets for sure. IND (536/7 decl), 12/1 in 4.4 overs

10.17 IST: Ajinkya Rahane has been promoted up the order. Wise decision from the skipper. Rahane has been struggling with his form and it is a good opportunity for him to get among the runs with India holding the edge at the moment. IND (536/7 decl), 11/1 in 2.2 overs

10.15 IST: OUT! Lakmal strikes! Vijay was playing differently and has sacrificed his wicket. Perhaps, the suggestion from the dressing room might have been to play attacking cricket. On a length around off, swinging away. Vijay doesn't move his feet much and goes for a loose drive. Ends up getting a faint edge behind and Dickwella moves to his right to take a regulation catch. The Sri Lankans appeals and up goes the umpire's finger. India lead by 173. IND (536/7 decl), 10/1 in 2.1 overs

10.09 IST: FOUR! Certainly a change in approach from Vijay. With a healthy lead in the kitty, he is playing shots off deliveries which he normally leaves. Good length delivery well outside off, Vijay pushes at it with hard hands and gets a thick edge. Beats gully and runs away to the fence. IND (536/7 decl), 8/0 in 0.5 overs

10.07 IST: FOUR! Murali Vijay hits Lakmal for a boundary as they start the scoring. Smashed! Shortish in length, a bit of room as well. Vijay camps back and slaps it with authority through covers to find the fence. IND (536/7 decl), 4/0 in 0.4 overs

Murali Vijay and the birthday boy Shikhar Dhawan are out to open for India.

10.05 IST:  The Indian bowlers were more or less on the money. The pacers, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami bowled with a lot of heart picking up three and two wickets respectively. The spin twins, Ashwin and Jadeja made life difficult for the opposition as well. India hold the edge and Sri Lanka need to bowl extremely well in order to come back into the contest. Join us for India's reply with the bat.

10.03 IST: It didn't take much time for India to take the last wicket this morning. A lead of 163 is a substantial one, especially on Indian tracks on Day 4. Chandimal was the star for the visitors as he scored a personal best 164 in Test cricket and showed tremendous composure to bat till the end. Earlier, Mathews scored a brilliant ton but apart from those two, the rest of the batting order was not up to the mark.

09.54 IST: OUT! And that's a wrap! Chandimal holes out after a terrific knock! Third wicket for Ishant Sharma and he has reaped the dividends for his hard work. Short delivery and width on offer as well, Chandimal goes for a slash but only manages to get a thick outside edge. The ball flies towards Shikhar Dhawan at fine leg who stays composed and takes a good catch with a reverse cup. SRI LANKA ARE BOWLED OUT FOR 373!

09.50 IST: A maiden over by Jadeja. A few scares here and there but the Sri Lankan batsman hang on. SL 373/9 in 135 overs

09.47 IST: Rohit Sharma is having a good time at short leg. He is constantly talking to Sandakan and is having a laugh about it. The No. 11 is being really tested by Ishant. Tough times for him.

09.43 IST: FOUR! Nice improvisation! Shortish delivery around off, Chandimal arches back and ramps it over the slip region to pick up a boundary. Chandimal moves on to 163, his best score in Tests. SL 372/9 in 132.6 overs

09.40 IST: FOUR! Easy pickings! Shami runs in and slips this on a length down the leg side, Chandimal moves inside the line and tucks it fine past the keeper for a boundary. SL 368/9 in 132.5 overs

09.34 IST: FOUR! Chandimal edges Ishant's delivery and goes all the way down for a boundary as the visitors still hang on. Streak runs! In the zone of apprehension, Chandimal throws his bat at it and gets a thick outside edge past the slip cordon. SL 363/9 in 131.3 overs

09.30 IST: Dinesh Chandimal reaches 150. A brilliant innings by the Sri Lankan skipper as his contribution for the visitors has been immense. He raises his bat as he gets a warm round of applause from the supporters and dressing room. SL 359/9 in 130.4 overs

09.27 IST: On the mark straightaway! Shami steams in and bangs in a bouncer around off, Chandimal arches back, drops his wrists and lets it go. SL 359/9 in 130 overs

09.25 IST: There is a lot of haze around as usual. Dinesh Chandimal and Lakshan Sandakan will resume their innings. Can the last batting pair frustrate the Indians? Let's see.  The Umpires and players are on the field and its quite hazy outside as usual. Lets get the ball rolling on Day 4 of the 3rd Test.

PITCH REPORT - Russel Arnold and Sunil Gavaskar are out in the middle inspecting the pitch. The former says that it is looking a lot better than expected. Gavaskar adds that there hasn't been much deterioration in the track. Mentions that only the odd ball is playing tricks. States that Ashwin is a dangerous bowler whenever there is assistance on offer and feels that he will hold the key for the hosts. Adds that there are some footmarks on the good length areas which can be exploited but it is not a major concern. Both of them reckon that if the batsmen apply themselves, they can score runs.

09.15 IST: Russel Arnold and Sunil Gavaskar are out in the middle inspecting the pitch. The former says that it is looking a lot better than expected. Gavaskar adds that there hasn't been much deterioration in the track. Mentions that only the odd ball is playing tricks. States that Ashwin is a dangerous bowler whenever there is assistance on offer and feels that he will hold the key for the hosts. Adds that there are some foot marks on the good length areas which can be exploited but it is not a major concern. Both of them reckon that if the batsmen apply themselves, they can score runs.

09.11 IST: The Lankan Lions need to put in a much better bowling performance if they are to save the game or even generate sparks of winning it. Will they rise to the occasion? Or will the Indians dominate the proceedings and further drive the advantage in their favour? Stay with us to find out...

09.05 IST: The hosts have pounced on opportunities whenever they have presented themselves. India are still ahead by 180 runs and they will be aiming to break the 11th wicket partnership as quickly as possible. While, the Sri Lankan skipper is still out there, three runs short of a 150. Ending the innings with a flourish is what he will be striving for. The visitors will know that it won't be an easy task for them to bat last on this surface with the two formidable spin twins in the opposition ranks.

09.00 IST: Hello and a warm welcome to the coverage of Day 4 of the third and final Test between India and Sri Lanka. On the back of the 181-run stand between Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka scripted an inspirational comeback. However, after the ex-Lankan skipper departed, all the hard work was undone by another Sri Lankan batting collapse, something we have become accustomed to. They lost 5 wickets for 26 runs and once again are staring down the barrel. 

08.55 IST: The BCCI made a statement regarding the scheduling of matches in pollution-mired Delhi, saying that it will be "considered" in future after Sri Lanka's cricket team complained of poor air quality during the ongoing third Test against India at the Feroz Shah Kotla

08.41 IST: Sri Lanka on their part, would be happy to have saved follow-on, which will ensure that they don't need to bat long enough in the second innings in order to save the Test match. 

Brief Preview - The Indian bowling attack was rewarded for its perseverance on a lifeless track as the hosts reduced Sri Lanka to 356 for nine after defiant hundreds from Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal in the final Test in New Delhi. Ravichandran Ashwin (3/90 in 35 overs), who has been Virat Kohli's 'Go To Man' in home conditions, got quick breakthroughs in the final session as the tourists ended the third day's play of the third Test 180 runs behind. 

Ashwin's victims included Mathews (111), Roshen Silva (0) and Niroshan Dickwella (0), as India wrested back the advantage from the Islanders, who frustrated the bowlers in the first two sessions. (Read Full Day 3 Report)