Sri Lanka have insisted Muttiah Muralitharan can turn the team's fortunes around in the final overseas Test of his career against India on Wednesday.

India are leading the three-Test series 1-0 after following up the high-scoring draw in Ahmedabad with victory in Kanpur, but Sri Lanka are keen to even the score at the Brabourne Stadium.

The tourists are backing master spinner Muralitharan, the world record holder for most wickets in Test and one-day cricket, to help them achieve their first Test win on Indian soil before he retires.

The 37-year-old struggled in the first two Tests, taking just five wickets at the cost of 396 runs, but Sri Lanka are hoping he will make his mark in the third.

"Murali is still the spearhead of our attack and we back him 100 per cent to turn it around and win the match for us," said Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara.

"He's still our best spinner and he still might be the best spinner in the world. When you have that quality in the side you have to back that quality, that ability. It's no different for Wednesday."

A win for India will see them leapfrog second-placed Sri Lanka and world champions South Africa to the top of the rankings for the first time, but India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has played down the importance of the milestone.

"Winning the series is important, and at the end of the day it will reflect on the rankings," said Dhoni.

"We are not thinking of the rankings because you don't really want to play under pressure, you want to play your natural game."