Images: India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Day 2

India took control of the third Test on Day 2 after outplaying the Sri Lankans in every department.

The hosts first wiped out the Lankan tail in less than half an hour in the morning. The visitors added only 27 runs to their overnight score of 366-8. They first lost Angelo Mathews (99), who missed his maiden Test hundred, through a close run-out.

Last-man Chanaka Welegedara struck two fours before he was trapped leg before by left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and the Lankans were bowled out for 393.

India went past their own record for most runs in a day, as they finished Day 2 on a mammoth 443 for 1 in 79 overs, a lead of 50 runs.

The Indian openers, Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay, easily negotiated the Lankan bowling early on. 

Vijay, playing his second Test, flicked Welegedara sweetly off his pads for his first four while Sehwag drove Nuwan Kulasekara for his first boundary.

Sehwag, who today became the third fastest Indian to score 6,000 Test runs, welcomed left-arm spinner Rangana Herath by slamming him over the straight field for a six in his first over.

The 25-year-old Murali completed his fifty off 78 deliveries, having hit six boundaries and a six, in the 28th over. He looked well-set for his maiden century till he was dismissed leg before wicket by Herath.

The right-hander tried to sweep Herath, but missed the ball and struck on the left pad right in front of the stumps. The Tamil Nadu batsman scored 87 from 121 deliveries, inclusive of ten boundaries and a six, adding 221 runs for the opening wicket with the Sehwag.

Sehwag continued to dominate the Lankan bowlers even after lunch. Vijay also looked comfortable at the crease and smothered the bowling, Mutiah Muralitharan again being at the recieving end.

Sehwag blazed his way to his 17th hundred, his second in as many matches, and shared a double century opening stand with Vijay, as India reached 260 for one at tea.

He raced to 150 off 130 deliveries with a single off Muralitharan in the 45th over.

Vijay's departure didn't have any bearing on Sehwag, who continued to treat the Lankan bowlers with disdain.
His assault on the opposition also helped No 3 bat Rahul Dravid take on the Lankans.

Sehwag then went on to smash a double century, his sixth in Tests, with a flicked boundary over midwicket against Kulasekara.

He took just 168 deliveries to reach the landmark. It is the second fastest double century in Test cricket after Nathan Astle, who hit his double century off 153 deliveries against England

Dravid gave Sehwag good support with a composed innings of 62 from 121 deliveries, the two batsmen having added 222 runs for the second wicket.

At stumps, Sehwag was unbeaten on 284 off 239 deliveries.