Colombo: A limping India have been forced to cling to the rock face of pain as Rahul Dravid rescued the side from what has been another batting debacle.

With an undefeated 46, he has at least helped India wipe off the second innings deficit on day three of this third Test against Sri Lanka at P Sara Oval. But it hasn't been without its moments of drama, a record as well as some controversy over the review system.

Maybe the fight is not over as Dravid and VVS Laxman are still together with some thoughts turn to the Eden Gardens and 2001 against Australia are resurfacing.

Laxman though has an ankle injury that requires Gautam Gambhir to run for him and although he has looked comfortable enough, the pressure on a dodgy ankle could work against India's plan to put up a worthwhile total on the board.

On a day when only one batsman, century-maker Kumar Sangakkara has shown how to bat in such difficult conditions as this, the remainder have struggled to put runs together with the same determined focus and quality strokeplay.

In response to Sri Lanka's 396, India in their second innings were 161-5 which (with 249) gives them a lead of 14 runs. But with only three fit lower-order batsmen and the injured Ishant Sharma remaining, the Dravid-Laxman partnership needs to prosper against two of the world's top spinners in Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis.

As it is, the two second innings wickets that Sri Lankan Army second lieutenant Mendis collected with lbw decisions against Parthiv Patel and Sachin Tendulkar has now taken the most wickets in a Test series of three or four matches with 25. He had surpassed a record that has lasted 62 years and was held by the now 90-year-old Sir Alec Bedser.

Bedser was playing in his first Test series against India, led by the Nawab of Pataudi (Snr), father of Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, picked up 24 wickets.

The dismissal of Tendulkar by Mendis after the referral saw India slip to 131 for five as the ball had pitched in line with the off-stump and his failure to play a shot counted against him.

Tendulkar injured his right elbow during the afternoon session on Saturday and did not field during the rest of the Sri Lankan second innings. Laxman's ankle was rendered almost immobile by an accident before the start of the day's play and for a while there had been some doubt whether he would be fit enough to bat.

For some reason, Tendulkar's batting has been circumspect in the three Tests and at times he was unconvincing against the spin of Mendis and Murali, although in the first innings he went lbw to debutant Dammika Prasad.

While Sourav Ganguly's career could be over as the selectors would have been looking for a lot more from him than the 96 runs in a series of this nature at an average way above the return of 16, there has been a growing doubt this series about the other three members of the fab four as well.

It has not been a great time for India to struggle the way they have against attacking spin bowling that achieved far more than no doubt first imagined. The pitch here at P Sara has taken a little turn, but not so much to trouble such well-travelled batsmen like Ganguly and Dravid who had their Test debuts at Lord's in 1996.