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Harbhajan strikes the early blow
Sri Lanka, requiring 322 runs to make India bat again, got off to a disastrous start, as Harbhajan Singh struck in the morning session, claiming the wicket of the dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Harbhajan trapped the opener in front of the wicket for 16 from 27 deliveries.
Once again, Dilshan was unlucky to be adjudged out. He offered no shot to a sharp, turning delivery and was struck on the pads on and around the off-stump, but given out.
Television replays, however, showed the ball would have missed the leg stump, but umpire Daryl Harper thought otherwise.
Sreesanth breaks steady partnership
With Sri Lanka on the backfoot in the first session, opener Tharanga Paranavitana, who was joined by skipper Kumar Sangakkara, steadied the innings, playing cautious cricket in the early part.
Sri Lanka went to lunch on day four on 84 for one in 31 overs, still trailing by 249 runs. Paranavitana was on 42 from 97 deliveries, which included seven boundaries, while Sangakkara was on 22 from 62 deliveries, which included of two boundaries.
However, post-lunch, with the Lankans playing the spinners easily, S Sreesanth was introduced and the move paid off as he claimed the wicket of Paranavitana.
The left-hander was beaten by the incoming delivery from the Kerala pacer and struck plumb in the front of the stumps after a good innings of 54, after having hit eight boundaries in his 144-ball knock
Zaheer strikes a twin blow
Zaheer Khan joined the party, dismissing Mahela Jayawardene. The right-hander poked at an outgoing delivery and was caught behind by wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for 12.
Zaheer then crippled Sri Lanka further when he claimed the wicket of Samaraweera, caught brilliantly by VVS Laxman at second slip.
Samaraweera failed to score off 13 deliveries; he was forced to edge an outswinger from Zaheer, bowling round the wicket, and Laxman completed a good low catch to his left.
Ojha dents Sri Lanka further
Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who has had a mixed Test, then dented the Sri Lankan batting, dismissing Angelo Mathews for 5.
Wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene did manage to stitch a partnership but failed to carry through. Ojha trapped Jayawardene leg before wicket for 32.
Sangakkara holds fort
Captain Kumar Sangakkara led from the front with the bat with a battling century to keep Sri Lanka afloat.
With the Sri Lankan middle order failing yet again, Sangakkara, after a cautious start, rose to the occasion with a brilliant counter-attacking innings of 133 from 258 deliveries, inclusive of 19 boundaries and a six.
His wonderful rearguard action saw Sri Lanka finish the fourth day on 274 for six in 93 overs. They just need another 59 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Nuwan Kulasekara was unbeaten Sangakkara on 9 off 45 deliveries.