India set Sri Lanka a daunting 410-run victory target and dented the tourists' top order to maintain their iron grip on the third and final test on Tuesday.

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Having secured a handy 163-run first-innings lead, India declared on 246 for five about 45 minutes after tea and Sri Lanka were reeling on 31 for three when bad light stopped play with the tourists still needing 379 runs to level the series.

Dhananjaya de Silva was batting on 13 with first-innings centurion Angelo Mathews yet to open his account at the other end.

Mohammad Shami dismissed opener Sadeera Samarawickrama for five with a vicious bouncer before Ravindra Jadeja dealt two late blows, dismissing Dimuth Karunaratne caught behind for 13 and bowling nightwatchman Suranga Lakmal for a duck.

Earlier, Dinesh Chandimal made a career-best 164 to help Sri Lanka post 373 all out, their highest total in the series.

Lakmal denied India a strong start to their second innings, dismissing Murali Vijay for nine.

The paceman was subsequently seen vomiting and temporarily left the field as the Delhi smog continued to affect the match.

Ajinkya Rahane has been the lone batsman in India's top six without a fifty in the series and was sent in ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara in a bid to help him rediscover his form ahead of the tour of South Africa.

The move, however, did not work.

The right-hander survived two reviews and scored only 10 runs before trying to hit his way out of trouble and holing out in the deep off Dilruwan Perera.

Shikhar Dhawan initially looked subdued but the left-hander soon accelerated, stepping out to hit Lakshan Sandakan over his head for a huge six.

The left-arm wrist-spinner had the last laugh, though, as he lured Dhawan into charging out to play a similar shot only to be stumped for 67.

Pujara (49) fell short of his fifty but Virat Kohli (50) and Rohit Sharma (50 not out) batted with characteristic ease against the jaded Sri Lankans to keep India in complete control of the match.

India v/s Sri Lanka, 3rd Test: Live Scorecard

With Sri Lanka's number 11 bat Lakshan Sandakan for company, Chandimal, resuming on his overnight score of 147, unsurprisingly went after the Indian bowlers.

The right-hander added three more boundaries to register his career-best knock before his thick edge off Ishant Sharma flew to Shikhar Dhawan at third man. 

Suranga Lakmal denied India a strong start to their second innings, dismissing Murali Vijay for nine. The paceman was subsequently seen vomiting and was temporarily off the field as Delhi smog continued to affect the test.

Ajinkya Rahane was sent ahead of Pujara in a bid to help him rediscover his form ahead of the tour to South Africa but the Mumbai player was out cheaply again despite surviving two reviews.

Rahane decided to hit his way out of trouble, only managing to hole out in the deep off Dilruwan Perera to depart for 10.

On Monday, Sri Lanka's current captain Dinesh Chandimal and former test skipper Angelo Mathews had combined for a 181-run fourth-wicket partnership to help them reach 356 for nine when bad light stopped play, the first time they had passed 300 in the series. Sri Lanka were 356 for 9 still 180 runs behind India's first innings total. 

At the end of the third day, Chandimal was playing on 147 while Lakshan Sandakan was yet to open his account at the other end.

Beginning the day 405 adrift of India's total of 536 for seven declared, the onus was on overnight batsmen Mathews and Chandimal to lead Sri Lanka's battle for survival at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.

The right-handed duo did not let their team down, denying India in the morning session as Mathews rode his luck to move on to 111 after being dropped twice. After the second day was blighted by complaints of air pollution by the visitors, Sri Lanka resumed on a slightly hazy morning on 131 for three.

Their occasional discomforts notwithstanding, Chandimal and Mathews displayed the kind of application that has been lacking among the tourists who trail 1-0 after their heaviest defeat in the second test in Nagpur. Mathews was on six when Virat Kohli dropped him at second slip on Sunday and paceman Ishant Sharma endured more anguish when Rohit Sharma grassed a catch in the same position with the batsman on 98.

Mathews went on to complete his eighth test century, more than two years after his last against the same opponents, and the relief was evident as he pumped air in celebration. Mathews was lucky again on 104 when he lofted Ravindra Jadeja to mid-off and the ball burst through substitute fielder Vijay Shankar's hands. He finally ran out of fortune when Ashwin ended his defiant knock which included 14 fours and two sixes.

Sadeera Samarawickrama, who suffered concussion on Saturday and missed play on Sunday, scored 33 but Sri Lanka lost four wickets for 39 runs in a late collapse. Ashwin (3-90) spoiled Roshen Silva's test debut by dismissing him for a duck, while Niroshan Dickwella also fell to the off-spinner for nought.