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Sri Lanka face a mammoth total set by the Indians

India was Tuesday eyeing a victory in the third and final cricket test against Sri Lanka, having bolstered its massive lead to a never-achieved target.

India overcame a top-order slide in its second innings to score 287 for nine before the draw of stumps on the third day, putting it 479 runs ahead after adding the first-innings lead of 192.
India had scored 398 in its first innings, while Sri Lanka was bundled out for 206.

Sri Lanka was facing a daunting task to avert defeat its second defeat in the series - after losing the previous test in New Delhi by 188 runs - as it confronts a victory target that has never been achieved in 128 years of test cricket.

The highest target successfully chased in test cricket was 418 by the West Indies against Australia in St. John's two years ago. Sri Lanka's best victory chase was the 326 it compiled against Zimbabwe in Colombo in 1998.

Left-hander Yuvraj Singh's smashing 75 led India's run-scoring Tuesday after its top five wickets perished for just 100 runs.

Yuvraj Singh's two-hour knock contained one six and 13 boundaries off 83 balls. His effort was got the backing of lower-order batsmen Ajit Agarkar (48), Irfan Pathan (27), Anil Kumble (23 not out) and last man Harbhajan Singh (19 not out).

Seeking to set the tourists a massive target, India was rattled by the first-ball dismissal of opener Virender Sehwag (0) and the early departure of first-innings centurion V.V.S. Laxman (5).

Sehwag was caught by Farveez Maharoof at third-man trying to slash a delivery from paceman Lasith Malinga, while Laxman edged Maharoof to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Sachin Tendulkar (19) fell lbw to Dilshan and the Indian slide continued as opener Gautam Gambhir (30) was caught behind off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (3-90) and Mohammad Kaif (9) fell lbw to Malinga Bhandara (3-67).

Sri Lanka had earlier avoided the embarrassment of being asked to bat again through a valiant 65 by Tillakaratne Dilshan, who held off India's rampant spinner Harbhajan Singh who bagged seven wickets for 62.

Dilshan saw the departure of overnight partner Jehan Mubarak (13) and Farveez Maharoof (4) before Bhandara (28 not out) arrived.

Hitting eight boundaries off 109 deliveries, Dilshan was the eighth man out when Sri Lanka required just one run to avoid the follow-on.

Dilshan and Bhandara shared a 43-run stand for the eighth wicket, thwarting off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who claimed five or more wickets in an innings for the 17th time in 50 tests.

Singh's figures were his best in a test match against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka suffered two early jolts as leg-spinner Anil Kumble (2-87) clean bowled Mubarak with a sharp flipper and Harbhajan Singh snapped a return catch from Maharoof.

Dilshan was given a life on 52 when wicketkeeper Dhoni muffed a stumping chance off Harbhajan Singh. Dilshan finally fell to a catch by Kaif at forward short-leg off Singh, but by then had done his job.