Colombo: Suresh Raina stroked a memorable debut century and Sachin Tendulkar coasted to his fifth double hundred to help India cruise to 589 for five wickets at tea on the fourth day of the second test against Sri Lanka on Thursday.
India still trailed Sri Lanka, who scored 642-4 declared, by 53 runs on the first innings but with only four sessions remaining, the second match in the three-test series is heading for a predictable draw.
Raina and Tendulkar carried their overnight partnership to 256 runs, an Indian record against Sri Lanka for the fifth wicket, before the former became the only wicket to fall on a day where the batsmen were once again dominant.
The breakthrough arrived in the seventh over after lunch when Raina failed to keep down a drive off spinner Ajantha Mendis and gave a catch to short midwicket. He batted 228 balls for his 120, which comprised 10 fours and a six.
Raina's wicket was to be Sri Lanka's only success as Tendulkar, joined by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, continued to frustrate the bowlers further by putting together an unbroken partnership of 92 by tea.
Tendulkar completed his double century off 338 balls and was unbeaten on 202, having hit one six and 23 fours. Dhoni was 50 not out at the interval.
Sri Lanka lead the series 1-0 following their 10-wicket success in last week's first test in Galle.
Scoreboard
Scoreboard at stumps on the fourth day of the second cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Thursday:
Sri Lanka 1st innings: 642-4 declared (T. Paranavitana 100, T. Dilshan 54, K. Sangakkara 219, M. Jayawardene 174, T. Samaraweera 76 not out)
India 1st innings (overnight 382-4):
M. Vijay lbw b Mendis 58
V. Sehwag st P. Jayawardene b Randiv 99
R. Dravid lbw b Randiv 3
S. Tendulkar c P. Jayawardene b Dilshan 203
V. Laxman lbw b Mendis 29
S. Raina c Sangakkara b Mendis 120
M. Dhoni c and b Dilshan 76
H. Singh c Sangakkara b Dilshan 0
A. Mithun b Mendis 41
I. Sharma not out 10
P. Ojha not out 0
Extras: (b9, lb5, w4, nb12) 30
Total (for nine wickets, 198 overs) 669
Fall of wickets: 1-165 (Sehwag), 2-169 (Vijay), 3-173 (Dravid), 4-241 (Laxman), 5-497 (Raina), 6-592 (Tendulkar), 7-592 (Harbhajan), 8-643 (Dhoni), 9-668 (Mithun).
Bowling: Prasad 19-1-96-0 (nb4), Fernando 31-1-116-0 (nb5, w3), Mathews 9-1-24-0 (w1), Randiv 64-14-212-2, Mendis 54-6-157-4 (nb3), Dilshan 21-4-50-3.
India lead by 27 runs with one wicket in hand.
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS) and Rod Tucker (AUS)
TV umpire: Ranmore Martinesz (SRI)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
