MUMBAI: India closed in on a lopsided victory in the third test against Sri Lanka, reducing the visitors to 144-5 at tea on day four Saturday.

Pace bowler Zaheer Khan’s two strikes helped expose the Sri Lanka tail, with another 189 runs required to even make India bat again.

Khan (2-24) induced an edge from Mahela Jayawardene (12) to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and then removed Thilan Samaraweera (0).

Sri Lanka made 393 in its first innings, and India responded with its highest ever test score of 726-9 declared.

India, pushing for a victory that would take it to the No. 1 spot in the world test rankings, leads 1-0 in the series after winning the second test by an innings and 144 runs.

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara was batting on 50 when tea was taken at the fall of Angelo Mathews (5), who was caught behind off left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha (1-40).

Sri Lanka earlier lost overnight batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan (16) when he padded up to a delivery from offspinner Harbhajan Singh (1-47) and was adjudged lbw.

Opener Tharanga Paranavitana made a composed 54 and shared a defiant 90-run partnership for the second wicket with Sangakkara before he was out lbw to paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (1-17).

Paranavitana struck eight boundaries off 144 deliveries.