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Gautam Gambhir bats - Source: Reuters -
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Opener Gautam Gambhir led India's fightback to save the first
Test after a world record sixth-wicket partnership of 351 helped
Sri Lanka take control of the game on Friday.
Gambhir was 74 not out as India reached 190 for two at close of
play on day four after overnight batsmen Mahela Jayawardene (275)
and Prasanna Jayawardene (154 not out) extended their record stand
to help Sri Lanka take a first innings lead of 334.
Sri Lanka, second behind South Africa in the official test
rankings, declared their first innings 40 minutes after lunch at
760 for seven, giving themselves a chance of winning a test in
India for the first time.
Gambhir put on 81 for the opening wicket with Virender Sehwag who
slammed a chancy 51 and 88 with first-inning centurion Rahul Dravid
(38) for the next but India face an uphill task, still 144 runs
behind.
Nightwatchman Amit Mishra (12) was keeping Gambhir company after
Dravid fell leg-before to Chanaka Welegedara.
Sehwag blasted seven boundaries before falling tamely when he
top-edged left-arm spinner Rangana Herath to be caught at
mid-on.
Former captain Mahela Jayawardene, 204 overnight, fell after lunch
while his namesake Prasanna recorded a career-best effort to help
Sri Lanka (591-5 overnight) post the highest innings score in India
by any team.
Sri Lanka added 169 for the loss of two wickets on a
record-breaking day when Mahela Jayawardene, who faced 435 balls
and hit 27 fours and a six, became the ninth batsman to reach the
9,000-run mark in Test cricket.
The sixth-wicket stand between the two Jayawardenes upstaged a
72-year-old mark of 346 set by Australia's Don Bradman and Jack
Fingleton against England in 1937.
The pair tormented a listless Indian attack in a productive first
session before former skipper Mahela fell in the third over after
lunch, bowled by Mishra when he gave the leg spinner the
charge.
The tourists declared after Dammika Prasad (21) fell to off-spinner
Harbhajan Singh after adding 34 with wicketkeeper Prasanna
Jayawardene, giving themselves 135 overs to push for a
victory.
India took the third new ball at the overnight score without effect
as Mahela Jayawardene, who recorded his sixth double hundred on
Wednesday, toyed with the bowling.
Prasanna, 84 overnight, recorded his second Test century, and the
fifth century of the match, when he guided pace bowler Ishant
Sharma to the third man fence in what was another frustratingly
unproductive session for India.
