SL dominate two sessions in a row despite Mathews's dismissal

India's desperation only mounted further with catches continuing to go down as Sri Lanka went through another fine session on Monday afternoon at the Feroz Shah Kotla, losing just the one wicket. As India's bowlers toiled hard without much help from their fielders, Angelo Mathews registered his first Test hundred in two years while Dinesh Chandimal closed in on his own having hit three fifties in consecutive innings. At Tea on Day 3, Sri Lanka had chipped away a little more at the deficit by taking their total to 270 for 4, still trailing by 266 runs.

The session started off with India opting for a review rather restlessly. Ravichandran Ashwin spun one sharply into a shuffling Chandimal and the ball pinged him on the pad on the move. Captain Virat Kohli and 'keeper Wriddhiman Saha got into a quick chat before going upstairs, only for the replays to suggest that the ball was missing the leg stump. As if Mathews had not had enough reprieves, he edged one through the legs of the 'keeper in a couple of overs' time while batting on 93. Although the chance was tough, India continued to spill their luck all over the place. Mathews, who had looked jittery in his nineties, was dropped yet again as the right-hander hung his bat outside off to hand a simple chance to Rohit Sharma at second slip. Rohit got both hands on it but failed to hold onto it. India's slip catching continued to be horrid with as many as three fielders dropping catches at that specific position.

Having stonewalled the Indians for more than 60 overs along with Chandimal, Mathews finally got to his hundred off Ishant's over by flicking one for four, raising his eighth hundred in Tests. Chandimal cut loose when he spanked three fours in the next few overs as he cashed in on some rare, poor bowling from Shami and Ishant.

Mathews offered yet another chance, this time after raising his hundred as he miscued a heave towards mid off. Substituting on the field, Vijay Shankar failed to hold onto a tough but a takeable chance with Mathews on 104. After a bagful of dropped chances which saw Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rohit and Shankar grassing opportunities, Ajinkya Rahane finally moved from gully to the slip cordon, but such had been India's luck that the ball kept going in other directions.

Ashwin, who had bowled just 18 overs before coming in for another spell, struck to provide India the breakthrough they had been searching for for an eternity. With a changed ball, Ashwin got one to skid through as Mathews edged on an attempted flick before being caught wonderfully by Saha behind the stumps. Mathews's dismissal brought an end to the marathon 181-run stand and saw the injured yet brave Sadeera Samarawickrama come out to bat. Chandimal couldn't complete his ton before Tea but remained unbeaten on 98.

Brief Scores: India 536/7 decl. (Virat Kohli 243; Lakshan Sandakan 4-167) lead Sri Lanka 270/4 (Angelo Mathews 111, Dinesh Chandimal 98*; Ravichandran Ashwin 1-50) by 266 runs.