Sri Lanka were 209 for 2 at stumps still trailing India&#39;s first innings score by 230 runs on day three in the second Test match at Colombo on Saturday.

The Lankan batsmen led by centurion Mendis and Karunaratne battled hard against the rampant India bowlers after they dismissed the hosts for a paltry 183 in the first innings.

Earlier in the day, the Indian bowlers led by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/2nd-test-ashwin-rahane-put-india-on-top-against-lanka-18613">India&#39;s all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin</a>&nbsp;tore through the Sri Lankan batting line-up.

Sri Lankan batsmen began the third day at 50/2 but&nbsp;could not hold their own against Ashwin who picked up another&nbsp;five-wicket haul to dismiss Sri Lanka for a paltry 183<a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/2nd-test-rahanes-ton-puts-india-in-control-against-lanka-18592"> in reply to India&#39;s mammoth 622/9 declared</a>.

Ashwin was ably assisted by other bowlers Shami(2wickets), Jadeja(2 wickets) Yadav(1 wicket) as the Lankan batsmen struggled on their home ground at Colombo. Lankan wicket-keeper Dickwella was the only batsman to resist India hitting a quickfire 51 in 48 balls with seven boundaries and a six as&nbsp;the other batsmen failed to keep Ashwin &amp; Co at bay.

Virat Kohli enforced the follow-on inviting the Lankans to bat again. The hosts lost their opener Tharanga early but &nbsp;Karunaratne and Mendis stitched a partnership together taking the Lankans to 190/1 post-tea.

Mendis hit a century studded with 16 boundaries to lead the fightback with opener Karunaratne who remained unbeaten at stumps on 92(12 boundaries).

Sri Lanka will begin Day-4 completely on the backfoot trying to avoid another humiliation as Ashwin &amp; Co eye another Test victory on Lankan soil under captain Virat Kohli.

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Ashwin dismissed the Lankan openers on Day-2 of the Colombo Test. (AFP)
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Mendis hit a century studded with 16 boundaries to lead the fightback with opener Karunaratne giving him company at the other end.?

Sri Lanka were 209 for 2 at stumps still trailing India's first innings score by 230 runs on day three in the second Test match at Colombo on Saturday. The Lankan batsmen led by centurion Mendis and Karunaratne battled hard against the rampant India bowlers after they dismissed the hosts for a paltry 183 in the first innings. Earlier in the day, the Indian bowlers led by India's all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin tore through the Sri Lankan batting line-up. Sri Lankan batsmen began the third day at 50/2 but could not hold their own against Ashwin who picked up another five-wicket haul to dismiss Sri Lanka for a paltry 183 in reply to India's mammoth 622/9 declared. Ashwin was ably assisted by other bowlers Shami(2wickets), Jadeja(2 wickets) Yadav(1 wicket) as the Lankan batsmen struggled on their home ground at Colombo. Lankan wicket-keeper Dickwella was the only batsman to resist India hitting a quickfire 51 in 48 balls with seven boundaries and a six as the other batsmen failed to keep Ashwin & Co at bay. Virat Kohli enforced the follow-on inviting the Lankans to bat again. The hosts lost their opener Tharanga early but Karunaratne and Mendis stitched a partnership together taking the Lankans to 190/1 post-tea. Mendis hit a century studded with 16 boundaries to lead the fightback with opener Karunaratne who remained unbeaten at stumps on 92(12 boundaries). Sri Lanka will begin Day-4 completely on the backfoot trying to avoid another humiliation as Ashwin & Co eye another Test victory on Lankan soil under captain Virat Kohli. Ashwin dismissed the Lankan openers on Day-2 of the Colombo Test. (AFP) ×

2nd Test: Karunaratne holds fort as India eye victory against Lanka

Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed the Lankan openers to reduced the hosts&nbsp;to 50/2 after India declared their first <a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/2nd-test-rahanes-ton-puts-india-in-control-against-lanka-18592">innings on a mammoth 622/9 declared on the second day</a> of the second Test at Colombo.

Virat Kohli asked his Ashwin to open the bowling with Shami and the Indian all-rounder who scored a gallant 54 in the first innings did not disappoint his skipper picking up Tharanga for a duck in his first over caught by Rahul at short leg&nbsp;to reduce Sri Lanka to 0/1.&nbsp;

Ashwin struck again in the fourteenth over to find opener Karunaratne&#39;s(16 runs, 48 balls, 3 boundaries) outside edge&nbsp;which was picked up by Rahane at first slip as India ended the day on a high.

Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja hit an unbeaten 85-ball 70 as India declared their innings after scoring 622/9 on the second day of the second Test at Colombo. Jadeja and wicketkeeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha took India past the 550-run mark as Saha scored an effortless 67 with four boundaries before being stumped by Dickwella.&nbsp;

Jadeja then with combined with Shami(19) and Yadav(8) to give India a huge advantage on Day-2 as the Lankans were pushed to the backfoot.

India went past the 500-run mark as Rahane led the charge with a well made 132 runs as the Lankans continued to struggle on Day-2 of the second Test at Colombo.

India started the day at 344/3 with Pujara and Rahane at the crease but the visitors lost their fourth wicket early as Pujara departed after scoring 132 with India at 350/4, Rahane and Ashwin then combined to take India past the 400-run mark with the Indian allrounder giving Rahane able company.

Rahane, however, fell with India on 413/5 after hitting a confident 132 runs with 14 boundaries. India were 442/5 at lunch, well placed to take a stranglehold of the Test.

The Lankan bowlers meanwhile could manage to just restrict the runs with none of them making any impression on the Indian batting line-up.

Hearth and Pushpakumara picked up 4 wickets between them but went for plenty giving the Indian batsmen ample opportunity to place their innings on their own terms. Ashwin was bowled by Hearth after scoring 54 and Pandya made a quickfire 20 in as many balls with 3 boundaries as India went past the 600-run mark.

Now the onus is on the Indian bowlers to make further inroads into the Lankan line-up with hosts needing a lion-hearted innings from one of the top order batsmen on Day-3.

Ravichandran Ashwin picked up 2 wickets and scored 54 runs in India's first innings as Sri Lanka ended second day on 50/2

Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed the Lankan openers to reduced the hosts to 50/2 after India declared their first innings on a mammoth 622/9 declared on the second day of the second Test at Colombo. Virat Kohli asked his Ashwin to open the bowling with Shami and the Indian all-rounder who scored a gallant 54 in the first innings did not disappoint his skipper picking up Tharanga for a duck in his first over caught by Rahul at short leg to reduce Sri Lanka to 0/1. Ashwin struck again in the fourteenth over to find opener Karunaratne's(16 runs, 48 balls, 3 boundaries) outside edge which was picked up by Rahane at first slip as India ended the day on a high. Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja hit an unbeaten 85-ball 70 as India declared their innings after scoring 622/9 on the second day of the second Test at Colombo. Jadeja and wicketkeeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha took India past the 550-run mark as Saha scored an effortless 67 with four boundaries before being stumped by Dickwella. Jadeja then with combined with Shami(19) and Yadav(8) to give India a huge advantage on Day-2 as the Lankans were pushed to the backfoot. India went past the 500-run mark as Rahane led the charge with a well made 132 runs as the Lankans continued to struggle on Day-2 of the second Test at Colombo. India started the day at 344/3 with Pujara and Rahane at the crease but the visitors lost their fourth wicket early as Pujara departed after scoring 132 with India at 350/4, Rahane and Ashwin then combined to take India past the 400-run mark with the Indian allrounder giving Rahane able company. Rahane, however, fell with India on 413/5 after hitting a confident 132 runs with 14 boundaries. India were 442/5 at lunch, well placed to take a stranglehold of the Test. The Lankan bowlers meanwhile could manage to just restrict the runs with none of them making any impression on the Indian batting line-up. Hearth and Pushpakumara picked up 4 wickets between them but went for plenty giving the Indian batsmen ample opportunity to place their innings on their own terms. Ashwin was bowled by Hearth after scoring 54 and Pandya made a quickfire 20 in as many balls with 3 boundaries as India went past the 600-run mark. Now the onus is on the Indian bowlers to make further inroads into the Lankan line-up with hosts needing a lion-hearted innings from one of the top order batsmen on Day-3.

2nd Test: Ashwin, Rahane put India on top against Lanka

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2nd Test: Karunaratne holds fort as India eye victory against Lanka

2nd Test: Ashwin, Rahane put India on top against Lanka