A maiden five-wicket haul by India's Jasprit Bumrah has restricted Sri Lanka to 9-217 in the third one-day international in Pallekele on Sunday.
Bumrah's performance overshadowed a composed half century from Lahiru Thirimanne on his international return after more than a year.
Sri Lanka's stand-in captain Chamara Kapugedara won the toss and elected to bat but his batsmen failed to make a good start, losing two wickets for just 28 runs.
But Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal shared 72 for the third wicket to steady the innings.
Chandimal scored 36 before being caught by Bumrah off seamer Hardik Pandya.
Sri Lanka's middle and lower middle order failed to capitalise on the recovery as the Indian bowlers picked up wickets regularly.
Thirimanne, playing his first international match since June 2016, scored 80 off 105 deliveries including five boundaries and a six.
Bumrah returned figures of 5-27 in 10 overs.
A win in the match will give India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
