'I play each ball on its merit and try to hit only the bad balls. That's the key to my batting.' © Associated Press Enlarge
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Virender Sehwag is on the verge of becoming the first person ever to score three triple-centuries in Test cricket but he said after the day's play, which he ended on 284, that the 200-mark was the first thing on his mind, having got out on 131 in the previous Test in Kanpur. "I missed a big one in the last Test, so I didn't want to miss out this time," Sehwag said.

Sehwag made light work of the bounce and turn on the second day, as he reached his double-century with four boundaries in one over from seamer Nuwan Kulasekara after tea. "I play each ball on its merit and try to hit only the bad balls," he said. "That's the key to my batting."

He asserted India's supermacy by notching up two double-century partnerships during the run-feast but said the track might offer turn later, offering India a chance to win the series 2-0 and top the ICC Test rankings.

"The wicket played much easier today than it did yesterday," Sehwag said. "The pitch was damp on the first day and so it was seaming and spinning. But it played quite well today. There will again be spin for the bowlers to exploit on the last two days."

Offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan, might not have been at his best this series, with five wickets at 103.00 in the three matches so far, and Sehwag clearly outfoxed the world's leading Test wicket-taker today. "Murali is always a big challenge to face, so rather than wait for him to dominate, I wanted to dominate him," said Sehwag. "That's what I tried to do today."

His fellow opener M Vijay, with whom Sehwag added 221 for the opening wicket, said it was a delight to watch his partner. "It was an amazing innings and it was great watching from the other end," Vijay said.

"I've learnt a lot batting with him in just this one innings and I enjoyed it thoroughly. With him around, you really don't have to bother about the scoring rate."