Openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir gave India's second innings a solid start on day four of the first Test in Ahmedabad.
Mahela Jayawardene had made 275 and Prasanna Jayawardene scored a career-best 154 not out as Sri Lanka declared their first innings on 760 for seven - a lead of 334 and with more than four sessions remaining.
Sehwag was batting three runs away from a half-century and Gambhir was 28 not out as India reached 76 for no loss at tea, the opening pair having whittled the lead down to 258.
Sehwag had, however, provided the opposition with a couple of opportunities for an early breakthrough.
The opener had edged fast bowler Dammika Prasad on 11, but the ball flew between first slip and the wicketkeeper for his second boundary.
In the previous over Sehwag was dropped by Prasanna Jayawardene, but off a no-ball and survived a run out attempt on 23, Muttiah Muralitharan, at mid-on, missing a direct hit at the non-striker's end with the batsman yards away from the safety of the crease.
Gambhir, showing far more precision and timing, had driven new-ball bowler Chanaka Welegedara fluently through covers and had cut Prasad square of the wicket.
In the morning, Sri Lanka, continuing from 591 for five overnight, had immediately settled to the task of accumulating runs.
Mahela Jayawardene, who had reached his sixth double century almost on the verge of close of play yesterday, had lent impetus by cutting Ishant for two boundaries in three deliveries in the bowler's third over.
The former captain then went past the 250-run mark and later scaled 9,000 runs in Tests - only the ninth batsman in a list headed by Sachin Tendulkar to achieve the mark - all the while increasing Sri Lanka's lead.
Prasanna Jayawardene, 16 short of a century at the start of play this morning, reached 99 with an edged boundary that fell just short of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and went past the wicketkeeper.
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Another more decisive and fluent cut to the third-man boundary in the same over helped the wicketkeeper batsman to the three-figure mark - only his second Test century.
Sri Lanka were 282 ahead of India's first innings total of 426 at the lunch interval and a declaration seemed imminent, but the visitors chose to bat on.
Leg spinner Amit Mishra finally found success when he bowled Mahela Jayawardene for 275 just after play resumed, luring the batsman out of his crease and beating him with flight and turn.
That dismissal ended a partnership which yielded 351 runs - the highest ever for the sixth wicket.
Prasad (21) and Prasanna Jayawardene took the lead past the 300-run mark when Prasad, playing a rash of attacking strokes, holed out to Mishra in the deep, before the declaration eventually arrived.
