Sri Lanka are on track to defend their 289-run total with India fighting to 3-118 at the midway point of their chase in the Commonwealth Bank Series one-dayer at the Gabba on Tuesday.
In a repeat of their batting performance in their 110-run loss to Australia on Sunday, the Indians lost early wickets, putting themselves behind the asking rate and under pressure from the start.
With big guns Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir all back in the pavilion, not-out batsmen Virat Kohli (35) and Suresh Raina (21) would appear to hold the last remaining hope for the Indians.
Both men were badly dropped before reaching 20 and Kohli was grassed a second time on 32, but after raising a 50-run partnership in the 23rd over, the duo appear set at the crease and determined.
Earlier, 22-year-old Sri Lankan No.5 Lahiru Thirimanne (62) and Angelo Mathews (49 not out) helped set the imposing total, after openers Mahela Jayawardene (45) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (51) laid the platform with a rock-solid 95-run opening stand.
Recalled spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and left-arm medium-pacer Irfan Pathan had two wickets apiece, and were amongst a minority of Indian bowlers with a sub-six economy rate.
The chase began in nightmare fashion for India, with stand-in skipper Sehwag flashing at the second ball of the innings from Lasith Malinga and finding Nuwan Kulasekara's safe hands on the third-man boundary.
Tendulkar appeared in a mood, scoring at a run a ball from the outset and flying into the 20s with a scorching back-foot cut for four off Farveez Maharoof. But with the Indian fans in attendance building in hope, the Little Master was brought undone, chopping on to Kulasekara in an attempt to shoulder arms.
Gautam Gambhir did his best to keep India moving, but after steaming to 29 and taking his side past 50, he was the next to go, caught on an awkward length and forced to fend to gully after advancing at Kulasekara in the 12th over.
After 15 overs the asking rate had climbed well above six per over, but there was some joy from the first ball of the 16th, with Dilshan grassing a reasonable chance from Raina at gully.
Kohli was next to be handed a life, this time with Dinesh Chandimal letting a pull-shot burst through his hands at deep square-leg from the bowling of Thisara Perera in the 21st over.
Chandimal had a chance to make up for his drop with an even easier chance in the 25th when Kohli hooked high again, but for the second time the 22-year-old managed to parry the pill into the dirt.