India in trouble

Colombo - Debutant off-spinner Suraj Randiv grabbed two wickets and Ajantha Mendis claimed one as Sri Lanka shattered India's top order on the third morning of the second Test on Wednesday.

India, resuming at the overnight score of 95-0, went to lunch tottering on 173-3 in reply to Sri Lanka's mammoth 642-4 declared at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Sachin Tendulkar was unbeaten on two and Venkatsai Laxman had yet to score, with India still some distance away from reaching 443 to avoid the embarrassment of a second successive follow-on in the series.

Sri Lanka lead 1-0 in the three-match series, having won the first Test in Galle by 10 wickets against the world's top-ranked team.

Openers Virender Sehwag (99) and Murali Vijay (58) put on 165 for the first wicket when Sri Lanka hit back by removing both batsmen in the space of 11 deliveries.

Sehwag was one run away from his 21st century when he rushed out to loft Randiv's first ball of the day, missed the line and was stumped by wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene.

Sehwag, who hit 15 boundaries in his typically aggressive knock, missed his fourth successive Test century with the rash stroke.

He had made 109 and 165 in the last two home Tests against South Africa in February and 109 in the opening match of the current series.

Vijay, after compiling a confident half-century, was dismissed in the next over when he misread a googly from unorthodox spinner Mendis and was caught plumb in front of the wicket.

Randiv, who replaced the retired world bowling record holder Muttiah Muralitharan, struck a second time before lunch when he trapped Rahul Dravid leg-before for three.