Mumbai: Mahendra Singh Dhoni joined Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid in the list of Indian batsmen who have scored two hundreds in this series as he completed his third test match hundred to take India to their highest ever score in test cricket, 726 for 9, giving them a lead of 333 runs in the first innings with still two days to go.

However, the biggest question of the day was whether Virender Sehwag, who was batting on 284 at the start of the day, would be able to score his third triple hundred and overtake the great Sir Donald Bradman’s record of triple centuries. But it was not to be on this day. In the fourth over of the day, Muttiah Muralitharan bowled one up to Sehwag which dipped on him a little bit, but for a change Sehwag played in front of his body and just scooped it back to Murali, who took the catch on the second attempt.

Sehwag added nine to his overnight score of 284, becoming the fourth man to be dismissed in the 290s. Once Sehwag was dismissed, things went back to normal again. The scoring rate came back to sanity and the bowlers were no longer looking rookies but all through, India kept on moving towards a huge lead. Rahul Dravid (74), Sachin Tendulkar (53) and VVS Laxman (62) scored half centuries and threw it away but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was in no mood to make that mistake. He notched up his third test hundred (second in this series) declaring the innings as soon as he reached the milestone, leaving Sri Lanka with three overs to bat in the day.

The startling fact about India’s batting on Day 3 was that despite half centuries by Tendulkar and Laxman and a century by Dhoni, they managed only 283 runs throughout the day. Sehwag alone had scored 284 runs yesterday!

When Sehwag was dismissed for 293, India were already ahead by 63 runs. Dravid was the next to go, adding just 12 to his overnight score of 62, as he edged one from Welegedara to the keeper. That brought Tendulkar and Laxman together and the proceedings slowed down considerably as both of them made sure that India needed to bat just once in the match.

As the batsmen tried to settle down, the most relieved man was Muttiah Muralitharan, who got some time to settle into a rhythm. He bowled round the stumps and tried to cramp the batsmen for room. Murali even managed to bowl a maiden — his first in 75 overs since the second innings in Ahmedabad. Just before lunch, the run rate came down below five for the first time in the game.

Just after lunch, Tendulkar notched up his 54^th test fifty. Laxman too, started to play a few shots as he took 12 runs off one over from Welegedara. The partnership was broken in the next over when Nuwan Kulasekara went through Tendulkar’s defence with an off-cutter.

Laxman (62) went soon after, looking for a big shot off Murali and done in by a doosra. Herath then accounted for Yuvraj (23) as the left hander sliced one to mid-off. Dhoni, though, carried on the charge batting with the tailenders. And no sooner did he deposit a ball from Herath, just a few overs before the close of play, on top of the Brabourne roof to complete his hundred, India declared with three overs remaining in the day.

Sri Lankan openers played out the three overs without any hiccups. At stumps on Day 3, Sri Lanka were 11 for 0, still needing 322 runs to make India bat again.

On Saturday, when the fourth day’s play begins, each delivery bowled, every wicket taken, will be with the sole intention of wrapping this Test up as soon as possible. India are now on the brink of the Number One spot in the ICC Test Rankings and they are may just reach there in style.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka 393 and 11 for 0 trail India 726 for 9 dec. (Sehwag 293, Dhoni 100*, Vijay 87, Dravid 74, Laxman 62, Tendulkar 53) by 322 runs

Tagged with: Gautam Gambhir, India, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Mumbai, Muttiah Muralitharan, Rahul Dravid, Rangana Herath, Sachin Tendulkar, Sri Lanka, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman

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