Colombo: India strengthened their grip on the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka, extending their second innings lead to 345 runs as they reached 234/8 at tea on the fourth day here on Monday.

Tailender Ravichandran Ashwin (27 not out) was the unbeaten batsman at the crease when the tea break was taken at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground. Only three wickets fell in the second session of the day as India added a vital 102 runs.

Resuming play after lunch at 132/5, the partnership between Stuart Binny (49) and debutant wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha (35) ended as the team’s score reached 160.

After striking seven fours in his 62-ball 49, Binny edged a good length delivery from pacer Dhammika Prasad to Upul Tharanga, who at first slip dived to his left and plucked a low catch.

His partner Ojha (35), who was also looking set, soon fell to left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, leaving India wobbling at 179/7.

Two quick wickets did not matter for incoming batsmen Ashwin and Amit Mishra (39) as the duo added some vital runs in a 55-run partnership to push ahead India’s lead.

But after playing a short but useful knock, Mishra ran himself out, thus forcing the umpires to call it a tea break.

Earlier, resuming the fourth day at 21/3, overnight batsmen Virat Kohli (21) and Rohit Sharma (50) got their proceedings underway by facing the Lankan bowlers smartly on a bright sunny morning in the first 10 overs of the day.

But skipper Kohli edged one to first slip off the bowling of Nuwan Pradeep to hand the opposition their first wicket of the day. India were 64/4 then.

Then Binny played a perfect supporting role as the Rohit-Binny pair struck a handy 54-run partnership for the fifth wicket to take the lead past the 200-run mark.

Just a few minutes before lunch, Rohit gave his wicket away while attempting a pull off a short delivery from pacer Prasad.

With the dismissal of Rohit, Ojha joined hands with Binny as India reached 132/5 at lunch.