V V S Laxman scored his ninth Test century before Harbhajan Singh triggered a mini collapse to reduce Sri Lanka to 131 for 5 at close on day two of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka at the Sardar Patel stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, on Monday.
Laxman compiled a stylish 104 from 237 balls and added 125 runs for the seventh wicket with Irfan Pathan (82) as India posted a healthy 398 in their first innings.
In reply, Sri Lanka struggled after losing an early wicket, that of Upul Tharanga, caught behind off Pathan for 2.
Thereafter, Harbhajan stole the show in the final session, taking four wickets for 24 runs in 11 overs, as he ran through Sri Lanka's middle order and made them stare at a possible follow-on.
Morning session: (72 runs, 1 wicket, 20 overs)
The start of play was again delayed because of heavy dew on the outfield. Play began at 1000 IST instead of the scheduled 0930.
Resuming on their overnight score of 247 for 6, India continued in the same aggressive fashion, with both Laxman and Pathan looking determined not to let the bowlers take charge as they did successfully in the last session on Sunday.
A few deliveries from pacer Lasith Malinga kept low and once took the edge of Laxman's bat, but went too quick and wide of the slip fielder to the boundary.
Pathan's plan was quite clear: take the attack to Muralitharan, and he showed his intention right away, stepping down the pitch to hit a lofted off-drive for a boundary to bring up the first one of the day in the 86th over.
Leg-spinner Malinga Bandara was introduced in the 87th over as Sri Lanka sought to contain the run rate and force the batsmen into mistakes. However, India's positive approach dashed all their plans.
Pathan registered his second consecutive half-century, off 99 balls, which was inclusive of eight boundaries, as India moved to 271 for 6 in 87 overs.
The left-hander had a nervy moment when Murali got one to bounce off the pitch and snick his gloves, but the ball fell safely between first slip and the point fielder.
Pathan's approach also helped Laxman get off to a confident start. He hit a stylish glide through the third man region for a boundary to bring up the 100-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Pathan, as India progressed to 285 for 6 after 90 overs. Their 100-run partnership came in
186 balls and gradually took India towards a sizeable first innings score.
With the spinners not able to make any sort of impression, Sri Lanka opted to take the new ball after 92 overs in the hope that it would work some wonders. Malinga continued bowling the short stuff and once struck Pathan on the left shoulder for which he received some treatment, but the short stuff became too easy to handle as the bowler delivered it quite often.
India reached their first target for the day, scoring 300 for 6 in the 93rd over.
Laxman then coasted to his century with a nice flick to the fine leg region for a boundary. The Hyderabadi's ninth Test century came off 232 balls and included 14 sweetly-struck boundaries. It was another special century from the right-hander when his team needed it the most.
Fervez Maharoof made the new ball count, getting the key wicket of Laxman in the 96th over. The ball pitched just on off-stump, came in slightly to break through the batsman's defences and crash into the stumps. (308-7, 95.3)
Laxman, who spent nearly six-and-half hours at the crease, made 104 in 237 balls, with 14 boundaries. His 125-run partnership in 220 balls for the seventh wicket with Pathan had given India some comfort after the middle order collapse.
The two partnerships he had, with Dhoni and Pathan, rescued India and took them to a position of strength. If the rest of the batsmen play around Pathan and take India close to 400 or beyond, then Sri Lanka will be under real pressure.
At lunch, India were 319 for 7 in 98 overs, after scoring freely for most part of the session.
Irfan Pathan was unbeaten on 66, in the company of his pace bowling partner Ajit Agarkar, who was not out on 5.
India added 72 runs in the morning session.
No other Sri Lankan made an impression as India scored freely in the morning session. Pathan, in particular, played some delightful strokes, hitting 10 boundaries during his unbeaten 131-ball stay at the wicket. India will now hope that the remaining batsmen stay at the wicket for some more time, for runs will not be a problem, with their style of play.
Another session in favour of India could well mess up things for Sri Lanka, something unexpected after that fine start on day 1.
Post-lunch session: (109 runs, 5 wickets, 30.4 overs)
Pathan and Agarkar showed tremendous application after lunch, batting with patience and waiting for the loose deliveries
.The two batsmen added 37 runs before Pathan fell leg before wicket to Maharoof on 82, yet again missing out on his maiden Test century.
Pathan was struck right in front of the stumps off a delivery that pitched on leg stump and seemed to be hitting middle and off. (345-8, 107.1)
Pathan scored 82 from 162 balls, hitting 12 boundaries, and had helped India to this huge score along with Laxman. He may have not registered a century, but his innings could well rank alongside Laxman's.
Anil Kumble, playing his 100th Test, produced a special moment when he danced down the wicket and launched Muralitharan for a huge straight six.
The pitch now looked like a perfect batting track and it seemed even the Indian bowlers realised it was and tried to score as much as they could and force the Sri Lankans under pressure. There were no wild shots played, but just some good, intelligent cricket that frustrated the Sri Lankans no end as they struggled to break the ninth-wicket partnership.
But, in the 120th over, Malinga crashed through Agarkar's defences to earn Sri Lanka some respite. Agarkar scored 26 from 69 balls, adding 39 valuable runs for the ninth wicket with Kumble. (384-9, 119.2)
It was interesting to see whether India could cross the 400-run mark, which would them give a huge psychological boost.
Interestingly, Harbhajan Singh, playing in his 50th Test, walked out to join Kumble.
Kumble tried to hoist Bandara over the vacant mid-wicket region, but the leading edge went straight to Jayawardene at mid-on for 21. (398-10, 122.4)
The last pair added 14 runs as Harbhajan finished unbeaten on 8.
For Sri Lanka, Malinga, who troubled the Indians with his occasional bursts of short-pitched bowling finished with 3 for 113 in 32 overs.
Muralitharan was not his usual best, as he was subject to some special treatment by the Indian batsmen, claiming 3 for 128 in 36 overs.
Farveez Maharoof impressed claiming the wickets of Laxman and Pathan to register figures of 2 for 52, while leg-spinner Bandara contributed with 2 for 69.
India could well be satisfied with 398, though they would have preferred crossing the 400-run mark. But after being reduced to at 125 for 5 at on stage, they should have no complaints.
A lot of credit must go to Laxman, whose brilliant innings of 104, set up this respectable score. Pathan (82) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (49) also deserve special praise for the way they counter attacked the Sri Lankan bowlers, especially Muralitharan.
They will now hope that their seamers make early inroads and set the stage for the two spinners to take over.
Sri Lanka innings:
Pathan gave India the perfect start when he struck in the third over of the innings, getting the wicket of opener Upul Tharanga for 2. The out-swinger pitched on off-stump and moved away a bit, taking the outside edge straight to wicketkeeper Dhoni. (14-1, 3)
Atapattu slashed hard at a wide delivery from Pathan in the fifth over, but the ball flew wide off the slips to the boundary ropes. It was an encouraging sight for the Indians that the Sri Lankans were playing positive cricket, but at the cost of taking some risks.
He nearly fell in the last over before tea, when an uppish cover drive against Kumble just evaded a diving Pathan before going over for the boundary line.
Sri Lanka went to tea on 30 for 1 in six overs, with Atapattu unbeaten on a shaky 19, from 21 balls, and Kumara Sangakkara not out on 2.
Pathan bowled three overs before the break, taking 1 for 12 in three overs. He will be looking to cause further damage after tea.
Sri Lanka will need to ensure that they do not lose early wickets to the pacers, else the inexperienced middle order will become easy prey for the likes of Kumble and Harbhajan.
Post-tea session: (101 runs, 4 wickets, 34 overs)
Pathan nearly claimed the wicket of Sangakkara, getting the outside edge, but the ball just evaded the gully fielder in the seventh over of the innings.
Sangakkara and Atapattu set out cautiously after the tea interval, trying to keep their wickets intact, but could not hold back for long.
Atapattu played an irresponsible shot to gift his wicket to the Indians. He tried to sweep Harbhajan, but only top edged, offering a simple running catch to Sehwag at leg slip for 40. (74-2, 23.3) The situation demanded some restrain from the Sri Lankan captain, who had settled down well and was expected to hold one end up and look towards spending time at the wicket and playing a big knock. But he failed to deliver.
India soon claimed the scalp of Mahela Jayawardene. Every new batsman will take time to settle down on a pitch like this, and when you get an unplayable delivery first up, there is hardly anything that you can do. Harbhajan got one to kick off, hitting Jayawardene's glove, and the ball flew to the short leg fielder. (74-3, 23.4)
Thilan Samaraweera did not survive long either, becoming Harbhajan's third victim. The right-hander played back to the offie as he tried to hit on the leg-side, but the ball took the inside edge and went to Kaif at short leg. (82-4, 28)
By now Harbhajan was looking unstoppable, triggering a mini collapse with three quick wickets in 16 deliveries, without conceding a run.
Soon he had his fourth victim, when Sangakkara was bowled after attempting a rash sweep shot. The ball pitched on leg stump and bowled him round his legs as he failed to connect. (105-5, 33.3). It was once again a case of a batsman getting set and then throwing his wicket away. Both Atapattu and Sangakkara had fallen to the sweep shot at a time when Sri Lanka needed them the most.
The match was slowly spinning away from the visitors as the Indian tweakers started taking control on a bright evening, illuminated by floodlights.
However, there was no further misery for the visitors as Jehan Mubarak (11) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (27) successfully played out the remaining overs without much fuss to take Sri Lanka to 131 for 5 after 40 overs at the close on day two.
Harbhajan was solely responsible for Sri Lanka's batting collapse in the final session. Curator Dhiraj Parsana's prediction that the pitch would help Harbhajan more than Kumble proved true.
Harbhajan finished with 4 for 24 in 11 overs to put India firmly in the driver's seat, while Pathan (1 for 36) was the other wicket taker. Kumble bowled 13 overs, giving away 50 runs without taking a wicket and it would be a surprise if he goes wicketless tomorrow too.
India well and truly dominated the second day. First they displayed good batting in the morning and afternoon sessions and then came back to destroy Sri Lanka with the ball.
Sri Lanka's first target tomorrow would be avoiding the follow-on; they need another 68 runs for the same. But one feels, even if they manage to avoid it, they will have a tough task stopping the resurgent Indian team's dash to victory.
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