India conceded some advantage to Sri Lanka by losing five middle-order wickets for six runs on the second day of the second Test with Sri Lanka at Delhi on Sunday but leg-spinnner Anil Kumble led the fightback.
India ended the day with a lead of 92 runs, and with Sri Lanka struggling at 6-198.
Muttiah Muralitharan cut a swathe through the India batting, trapping both overnight batsmen Sourav Ganguly (40) and Sachin Tendulkar (109) leg before wicket and exposing the lower-order.
He raced through to finish with 7-100 as India slumped to be all out for 290.
While Sri Lanka made a solid start in its response, especially as Marvin Atapattu made 88, it was India's spin maestro Anil Kumble who left the Sri Lankans with a point or two to ponder overnight.
He made the breakthrough when a ball that kept low trapped Mahela Jayawardene leg before wicket for 60.
All Kumble's experience came to the fore as he probed the opening with an intensity backed by the venom in the pitch.
Four wickets fell for 23 runs as Sri Lanka ended the day battling and with Kumble having 4-54.
