India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Day 4 — As it happened...

Dhananjay De Silva (13 not out) and Angelo Mathews (0 not out) were at the crease when the umpires called it a day, with Sri Lanka 379 runs behind the target.

India now sniff a win after a productive final session at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, Delhi. Virat Kohli & Co need another seven wickets on the final day tomorrow to win the series 2-0.  (SCORECARD || DAY 4 - REPORT)

Sri Lanka innings & 373
India 536/7 decl & 246/5 decl

05 December 2017

16:58 PM

Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja reduced Sri Lanka to 31/3 at Stumps after setting a target of 410 runs on Day 4. Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 373 in their first innings, thus taking a 163- run lead. Then, India declared their second innings at 246/5, setting a target of 410.

Dhananjay De Silva (13 not out) and Angelo Mathews (0 not out) were at the crease when the umpires called it a day, with Sri Lanka 379 runs behind the target.

16:37 PM

Over 16 | Score 31/3 (Dhananjaya de Silva 13; Angelo Mathews 0)

India continue to call the shots. After taking a 409-run lead, bowlers join the party in Delhi to reduce Lanka to 31/3. In the last over before Stumps, Ravindra Jadeja struck twice, removing Karunaratne and Lakmal.

Lanka need 379 runs to win.

16:11 PM

Over 9 | Score 16/1 (Dimuth Karunaratne 9; Dhananjaya de Silva 2)

Mohammed Shami gives India the break, removing Samarawickrama with a nasty bouncer. The Lankan opener got beaten by pace. Nice catch from Ajinkya Rahane.

Wicket: Samarawickrama c Rahane b Shami 5(15)

It happened off the fifth ball of the 6th over. Dhananjaya de Silva is the new man for Lanka. They still need 394 runs.

15:45 PM

Over 3 | Score 9/0 (Dimuth Karunaratne 6; Sadeera Samarawickrama 3)

Cautious start to the innings for Sri Lanka. Nine runs from the first three overs. For India, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami are operating.

15:21 PM

Over 52.2 | Score 246/5 (Rohit Sharma 50)

Soon after Rohit Sharma reaches his fifty, Virat Kohli declares Indian innings.

So, Sri Lanka need 410 runs to beat India and level the series 1-1. Some thirty overs and full day's play still left in the match.

15:07 PM

Over 50 | Score 215/4 (Virat Kohli 50; Rohit Sharma 41)

15th Test fifty for Virat Kohli. He and Rohit Sharma added 88 runs for the fifth-wicket stand, and India's lead is now 395.

14:13 PM

Over 43 | Score 192/3 (Virat Kohli 25; Rohit Sharma 28)

Tea!

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma add 48 runs from 47 balls as India surge ahead. Now the lead is 355 runs. Rohit is the quicker of the two though. He has hit four fours to his 28 off 22 balls.

13:44 PM

Over 36 | Score 145/4 (Virat Kohli 6; Rohit Sharma 1)

Shikhar Dhawan completes his fifth Test fifty with a single off the 2nd ball of 33rd over, then a ball later lofted a huge six to bring up 2000 Test runs.

He then changes gear to hit back-to-back fours in the next over. But that's all he's to offer. In a bid to increase the scoring rate, he dances down to Lakshan Sandakan, and was stumped.

Wicket: Dhawan st Dickwella b Sandakan 67(91)

That happened off the second ball of the 36th over. Rohit Sharma is the new man. 

India's lead is now 308.

13:23 PM

Over 31 | Score 106/3 (Shikhar Dhawan 35; Virat Kohli 0)

What a miss. Cheteshwar Pujara departs on 49, caught at first slip by Angelo Mathews. Brilliant effort from the former Lanka captain, and good line from Dhananjaya de Silva. Pujara was looking in great touch.

Watch: Pujara c Mathews b de Silva 49(66)

That happened off the last ball of the 31st over. Virat Kohli is the new man for India, and he would like to accelerate the scoring rate.

India now lead by 269 runs. And we have 52 overs left in the day.

12:51 PM

Over 26 | Score 85/2 (Shikhar Dhawan 25; Cheteshwar Pujara 38)

India's lead continue to swell with Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara in complete control of the proceedings in Delhi. They have added 56 runs for the third-wicket stand.

India's lead is now 248.

12:25 PM

Over 20 | Score 62/2 (Shikhar Dhawan 20; Cheteshwar Pujara 23)

Post-lunch, India added 11 runs to extend the lead to 225 runs.

Cheteshwar Pujara is scoring at a brisk rate. Very unlike him, and the same is with Shikhar Dhawan. The Delhi batsman is holding on.

For Sri Lanka, Dinesh Chandimal has so far used three bowlers in Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Gamage and Dilruwan Perera. Meanwhile, Chandimal has been dropped from the Lankan ODI side.

11:33 AM

Over 14 | Score 51/2 (Shikhar Dhawan 15; Cheteshwar Pujara 17)

Lunch in Delhi.

India increased the scoring rate in the last couple of overs with Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara adding 22 runs in 20 balls for the third-wicket stand.

India's lead is now 214. With five sessions still in the match, Virat Kohli would love to push for a win.

11:20 AM

Over 14 | Score 30/2 (Shikhar Dhawan 10; Cheteshwar Pujara 1)

Ajinkya Rahane's rut continues. After a long time, he manages a break the single digit score, but soon ends up gifting his wicket away. Caught at long-on.

Wicket: Rahane c Sandakan b Perera 10 (37b)

After scoring 132 in the Colombo Test in August, Rahane has scores of 17, 4, 2, a and 10.

Cheteshwar Pujara now joins Shikhar Dhawan in the centre. India's lead is 193.

11:02 AM

Over 11 | Score 26/1 (Shikhar Dhawan 8; Ajinkya Rahane 9)

Suranga Lakmal is back, and straight into the attack. For India, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane seem to have dropped the anchor. In the ninth over, Rahane, survived a Lankan review for LBW. Hit on the back foot, and it returned as umpire's review.

India's lead now is 189.

10:46 AM

Over 8 | Score 19/1 (Shikhar Dhawan 5; Ajinkya Rahane 5)

Ajinkya Rahane is testing his lucks. In fact, he survived a LBW decision, thanks to review, of course.

Meanwhile, Suranga Lakmal is out of the ground. He was vomiting. Here's what doctors said about playing sports in Delhi.

10:20 AM

Over 3 | Score 12/1 (Shikhar Dhawan 2; Ajinkya Rahane 1)

Early breakthrough for Sri Lanka. Suranga Lakmal gets the better of Murali Vijay, caught behind.

Wicket: Vijay c Dickwella b Lakmal 9(12)

That happened of the first ball of third over.

After a quick innings break, India started the second innings with Vijay and birthday boy Shikhar Dhawan. Eight runs from the first over, bowled by Lakmal, thanks to two fours, both from the blade of Vijay.

Out-of-form Ajinkya Rahane is promoted to bat at first down.

09:59 AM

Over 135.3 | Score 373 all out

Ishant Sharma finally takes the wicket of Dinesh Chandimal, caught by Shikhar Dhawan at third man. One brilliant innings from the Lankan skipper, but India get a 163-run lead.

Wicket: Chandimal c Dhawan b Ishant 164(361)

That's Ishant's third wicket in the match.

09:45 AM

Over 133 | Score 372/9 (Dinesh Chandimal 163; Lakshan Sandakan 0)

Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal notches up his career-best score. He has been brilliant so far, playing the role of a vigil even as India continue to look for that one wicket to wrap up the innings.

Sri Lanka trail by 164 runs.

09:31 AM

Day 3 Recap

Dinesh Chandimal made 147 not out and Angelo Mathews ended his century drought to help Sri Lanka rediscover their competitive edge against India on day three of the third and final Test on Monday.

Sri Lanka`s current and former Test skippers combined in a 181-run fourth-wicket partnership to help them reach 356 for nine when bad light stopped play, the first time they had passed 300 in the series.

Chandimal played a captain`s knock and his 10th Test century included 18 fours and one six.

Lakshan Sandakan was yet to open his account at the other end with Sri Lanka still 180 runs behind.

Beginning the day 405 adrift of India`s total of 536 for seven declared, the onus was on overnight batsmen Mathews and Chandimal to lead Sri Lanka`s battle for survival at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.