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On a day when the smiles couldn't have got broader on the faces of the Indian national team selectors, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Pragyan Prayash Ojha justified their call-up to the test squad by bowling brilliantly in tandem and the former coming away with a match winning performance of 5-75 to rattle Sri Lanka out for 229 in response to India's mammoth first innings score of 642. Asked to follow-on, Sri Lanka are in a position of no escape as they ended the day with their top 4 batsmen back in the pavilion, and still trailing by 356 runs. With two full days left to play, even the most optimistic of Lankan fans will want to get this game over with and look ahead to attempting to level the series when the teams meet again in Mumbai.

Sri Lanka resumed the day on their overnight score of 66/1 with Tharanga Paranavitana and skipper Kumar Sangakkara both looking solid with 30 runs each to their names. The first session turned into the Sreesanth show part 1 as the Kerala pacer, making his return to the national side after an 18 month lay-off ran through the top order picking up 3 wickets for 28 runs in a marathon 9 over spell. First to go was Paranavitana caught behind for 38 off a useful good length delivery which just left the batsman. Sreesanth should have had a second straight up, but Motera hero Jayawardene got an early reprieve edging the first ball he faced between the wicketkeeper and first-slip with Dhoni and Tendulkar standing there staring at each other, in fairness it should have been the keeper's catch and one couldn't help but wonder if MS was 100% fit.

Kumar Sangakkara was the next to go, flashing outside the off-stump without moving his feet, and dragging a rather innocuous delivery onto his stumps. Sri Lankan run machine Thilan Samaraweera joined his skipper back in the pavilion falling in identical fashion, and Sri Lanka were in big trouble at 111/4 (nelson strikes!). All this while Pragyan Ojha was bowling a terrific spell at the other end, giving nothing away, creating the perfect conditions for Sreesanth to attack at the other end.

Harbhajan Singh came on to replace a tired Sreesanth just before lunch, and struck immediately, removing Angelo Mathews for 13, the allrounder completely clueless against a wily Bhajji. The off-spinner should have had a second, but Rahul Dravid made a mess of a sharp chance at first slip, giving Mahela Jayawardene a third life in the morning. Sri Lanka went in to lunch at 138 for 5

Sri Lanka appeared to be making a little progress for about an hour after lunch as the two Jayawardenes once again buckled down and shared in a 60 run partnership before Sreesanth charged in for his second spell and dismissed Prasanna with a wide delivery which the batsman chased and ended up edging through to the keeper. At the other end Mahela's luck finally ran out as he became a valuable first ever test victim of the efficient Ojha, giving Tendulkar an easy catch at mid-on.

Sreesanth stormed in looking for a deserved fifth wicket of the day and produced perhaps his best spell to Rangana Herath beating the bat on multiple occasions before finally disturbing the furniture with a beauty that pitched on middle and hit the top of off-stump. Harbhajan and Ojha cleaned up the tail after Tea, Dhoni making the wise decision to give his fast bowlers a rest before they were called in to bowl again when India enforced the follow-on.

The man of the day, Sreesanth, struck again in his opening spell, removing Tillakaratne Dilshan with another excellent delivery that just marginally left the batsman and picked up a thin edge through to the keeper leaving Sri Lanka struggling at 13/1.

Dhoni pulled a rabbit out of a hat tossing a fairly new-ish ball to Virender Sehwag with the two left-handers Sangakkara and Paranavitana at the crease, and the part-timer didn't disappoint, removing the latter for 20 with a straighter one that went on with the arm. Sri Lanka then committed harakiri as Sangakkara attempted a suicidal single that left his partner Jayawardene miles short, easily beaten by Yuvraj Singh's throw. Perhaps distracted by his poor decision making, Sangakkara then threw his own wicket away as well, dragging on for the second time in the day, Harbhajan Singh the delighted bowler who couldn't believe his luck. Samaraweera and Mathews played out the 4 odd overs left in the day and took Sri Lanka through at the close of play at 57/4, a truly disastrous position.

With rain nowhere in Kanpur's future, it looks incredibly likely that India will be able to wrap up the game tomorrow in a couple of sessions. While the day belonged undoubtedly to Sreesanth and the people behind the scenes who worked incredibly hard to get him ready and match fit, a special mention for MS Dhoni, who except for some dodgy moments behind the stumps in his role as wicketkeeper had perhaps one of his greatest days in the field as test captain and did a lot right in ensuring that India are in the position of strength they find themselved in.

Mini Scorecard:

India 1st innings 642 all out (154overs, 4.16rpo)
Gambhir 167(215)               Herath 5-121
Sehwag 131(122)                Mendis 2-162
Dravid 144(226)                  Muralitharan 2-175

Sri Lanka 1st innings 229 all out (84 overs, 2.72rpo)
Jayawardene 47                 Sreesanth 5-75
Sangakkara 44                    Ojha 2-37

Sri Lanka 2nd innings 57/4 (23 overs, 2.47rpo)
Paranavitana 20                 Sehwag 1-4
Sangakkara 11                    Sreesanth 1-10

File Photograph Copyright: Gayatri Naik