Virender Sehwag smashed an unbeaten 284 on day two as India took complete control of the final Test against Sri Lanka.
Opener slays Sri Lanka with second fastest double century of all time
Third Test Match
MumbaiSri Lanka 393 (T M Dilshan 109, A D Mathews 99, N T Paranavitana 53, Harbhajan Singh 4-112) v India 443-1 (V Sehwag 284 no, M K Vijay 87, R Dravid 62 no)
Virender Sehwag is 16 runs away from becoming the first player to score three Test triple centuries as India took complete control on day two against Sri Lanka in Mumbai.
The explosive opener bludgeoned the second fastest double hundred of all time to finish a sensational day's play at the Brabourne Stadium unbeaten on 284 off just 239 balls.
Sehwag struck 40 fours and seven sixes en route to the quickest ever 250 and India will resume day three of the final Test already 50 runs ahead on a staggering 443-1.
Fellow opener Murali Vijay, playing just his second Test in place of Gautam Gambhir, made 87 earlier in the day and Rahul Dravid reached stumps unbeaten on 62.
All of the India fireworks took place after Sri Lanka had been bowled out for 393 in the morning session.
Brilliant
Sri Lanka all-rounder Angelo Mathews was the architect of his own downfall at the start of the day, a misjudged single to Sachin Tendulkar seeing him run-out inches from his ground just one run short of his maiden Test hundred.
The other overnight batsman Muttiah Muralitharan was undefeated on four, while Chanaka Welegedara was the last man to be dismissed - leg before to Pragyan Ojha.
From this point on the hosts virtually ensured that Sri Lanka's wait for a first Test triumph in India would continue.
Sehwag, who made 131 in India's victory in the second Test, batted brilliantly in tandem with opening partner Vijay as India made serious inroads into Sri Lanka's first-innings total of 393.
The right-handed duo put on 221 for the opening wicket before Vijay was trapped lbw by a Rangana Herath's 'carrom' ball, a delivery the left-arm spinner flicks out of the front of his hand.
Vijay had caressed 10 fours and one six on his way to a career-best 87, however his lapse of concentration prevented him from registering a deserved maiden ton.
Sehwag continued to savage the Sri Lanka attack to all parts and brought up his 17th Test hundred at run-a-ball pace shortly before Vijay's departure.
Records tumble
From then on there was simply no stopping the 31-year-old who went from 100 to his sixth double century in just 67 balls - only former New Zealand batsman Nathan Astle has reached 200 in less deliveries.
Muralitharan came in for particular punishment, his 20 overs on day two yielding 119 runs for no reward.
Dravid was content to nudge the singles unobtrusively and brought up his 58th Test half-century in the final session.
The records continued to tumble as stumps neared, Sehwag recording the fastest ever 250 with a reverse-swept boundary off Muralitharan, passing the milestone off 207 deliveries.
However, an almost chanceless innings should have been brought to an end late in the day, Mahela Jayawardene grassing a sharp chance at slip after Tillakaratne Dilshan had taken Sehwag's edge.
Sehwag will return on day three hoping to add to the triple centuries made against Pakistan (2004) and South Africa (2008).
