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Zaheer Khan made an early breakthrough as India gained the edge on the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Kanpur.

India's batsmen enjoyed another fruitful day with Rahul Dravid (144) claiming his 28th Test century, while VVS Laxman (63) and Yuvraj Singh (67) both hit half-centuries.

Sri Lanka however, fought back with left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claiming five wickets - his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests - as India, 417 for two overnight, were bowled out for 642 in the final session.

Fast bowler Zaheer gave the home side a superb start with the ball, removing the dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan for a first-ball duck, but Sri Lanka recovered to reach 66 for one at stumps with Tharanga Paranavitana and Kumar Sangakkara both on 30.

Dilshan attempted to flick the first ball from Zaheer to fine leg, but the leading edge ballooned to Pragyan Ojha - who was winning his first Test cap - at mid-on.

But Sangakkara and Paranavitana battled hard against a strong attack from India as they finished the day with nine wickets intact.

India had begun the morning cautiously with Dravid and overnight partner Sachin Tendulkar (40) carefully negotiating the bowlers in the first hour.

Dravid, resuming from 85 at the start of the day, was lucky to survive an inside-edge which flew perilously close to leg stump and away for a boundary, his first scoring shot of the day.

It was the only false stroke from Dravid as the 36-year-old went from strength to strength and reached his century with a straight drive past fast bowler Chanaka Welegedara.

The middle-order batsman, who went past Allan Border's mark of 11,174 runs in Test cricket, fell just before lunch when left-arm spinner Herath palmed a shot from Laxman onto the stumps at the non-striker's end and caught Dravid backing up too far.

Tendulkar had already departed inside the first hour in the morning, a victim of Ajantha Mendis.

Mendis should have had Tendulkar's scalp earlier than he eventually did but watched disappointed as Dilshan grassed a catch at mid-wicket as the batsman attempted a lazy on-drive.

Tendulkar then hammered Mendis for a six but was snaffled at he attempted to hit one too many over the top, failing to clear Thilan Samaraweera at deep mid-off.

Laxman, who had added 47 for the fourth wicket with Dravid, was then joined by Yuvraj and the two hammered Sri Lanka's bowlers around the park as they built another fruitful partnership.

Laxman, who was briskly off the mark, reached his 41st Test half-century with a single off Muttiah Muralitharan and went on to add 102 for the fifth wicket with Yuvraj.

He fell while attempting to force the pace, stepping out to hit Herath over the top, but only picking out Dilshan at mid-off.

From 613 for four, India's innings then unravelled with Herath taking centre stage.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh were bowled through the gate, both falling just before the tea interval.

Herath then returned from the break to snare Zaheer, caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene, and Sreesanth, trapped in front, in one over to wrap up India's innings.

In between those dismissals, Yuvraj, who had reached his eighth half-century in Tests, was skittled by Mendis, the batsman attempting a pull only to be caught by Sangakkara at midwicket.

Herath finished with figures of five for 121 from 33 overs.