India enforced the follow-on after bowling out hosts Sri Lanka for 290 in their first innings on day four of their second test on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka lost their final two wickets, with Sonal Dinusha scoring 103, after resuming on 265-8 following India's 503-9 declared in Colombo.
Sri Lanka, who added only 25 runs to their overnight total, still trail by 213.
Dinusha posted his second hundred of the series before being the last man dismissed by debutant spinner Saransh Jain.
He reached three figures in style, with a pull shot off Prasidh Krishna in front of square.
But in the next over, Jain provided the breakthrough when Lahiru Kumara ran out of patience and attempted a heave across the line.
Kumara managed a leading edge and Dhruv Jurel, running in from deep point, completed a diving catch to give Jain his maiden wicket in test cricket.
Dinusha and Kumara added 58 runs for the ninth wicket, frustrating India and briefly raising hopes for Sri Lanka to avoid the follow-on.
Jurel, who had kept wickets on day three, was dispatched to the outfield as Rishabh Pant took over the gloves. India's wicketkeeper had suffered a nasty blow to his forearm while batting in the first innings.
INDIA: K.L. Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill (capt.), Rishabh Pant (wkt), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
SRI LANKA: Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (capt.), Sonal Dinusha, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Niroshan Dickwella (wkt), Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara.