Anil Kumble led India's fightback to reduce Sri Lanka to 198 for 6 on the second day of the second Test in New Delhi on Sunday.
The ace leg spinner claimed four wickets for 54 runs to help India claw back in this tight contest after Sri Lanka were cruising at 175 for 2 at one stage in the match.
Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu top-scored with 88, and his 112-run third-wicket partnership with Mahela Jayawardene (60) had put Sri Lanka in the driver's seat, before Kumble took four quick wickets to hand India the advantage at the end of the day.
Earlier, Muthiah Muralitharan produced a magical spell of spin bowling, claiming seven wickets for 100 runs to bowl out India for 290 on a turning track at the Ferozshah Kotla.
Resuming at their overnight score of 245 for 3, India lost their last seven wickets for the addition of just 45 runs in the morning session.
Sachin Tendulkar, who registered a record 35th Test century on Saturday, could add only nine runs to his overnight score of 100 before being dismissed leg before wicket for 109. Leg spinner Malinga Bandara also relished the spin-friendly conditions, claiming 2 for 54.
Morning session: (7 wickets, 59 runs, 30 overs)
India were looking at a huge first innings score with two of their most experienced batsman out in the middle. Tendulkar was upbeat after registering his 35th Test century yesterday, and Ganguly looked settled on 39.
But it was Sri Lanka, who delivered the first blow, getting the wicket of Ganguly. The left-hander was beaten by the 'doosra' from Muralitharan. He shouldered arms to a delivery pitched outside the off-stump and was ruled out by the umpire. (254-4, 80.3)
The former India captain, who scored 40, added 121 runs for the fourth wicket with Tendulkar. It was a great start for the Sri Lankans, who were aiming to get a few early wickets.
Yuvraj Singh did not survive long, as he was caught at silly point off leg-spinner Malinga Bandara in what looked to be a debatable decision. Yuvraj had taken a huge stride forward and the ball seemed to miss the bat, but the umpire had other ideas. (255-5, 81.5)
Three balls later Muralitharan scalped the big wicket of centurion Tendulkar. The Mumbai batsman tried to sweep but missed the ball and was hit on the pads to be ruled leg before wicket. (255-6, 82.2)
Tendulkar scored 109 from 196 balls, inclusive of 14 boundaries and a six, but his wicket killed India's hopes of registering a huge first innings score. In fact, it looked as if they would now even struggle to score past the 300-run mark with Muralitharan looking on the top of his game.
The procession of Indian batsmen continued as Irfan Pathan walked back to the pavilion without scoring. Pathan was caught by Jehan Mubarak at short fine leg off an inside edge to give Murali his fifth wicket of the innings. It was the 48th occasion that the champion off-spinner had registered a five-wicket haul in a Test innings.
Ajit Agarkar was lucky not to register another Test duck as Thilan Samaraweera dropped him at first slip. He tried to cut Bandara and the edge flew quickly to first slip, where Samaraweera failed to hold on.
It looked as if Sri Lanka had employed two leg-spinners with Muralitharan bowling round the wicket and turning his 'doosra' a long way. Mahendra Singh Dhoni got a peach of a delivery from Muralitharan as the 'doosra' from the off-spinner pitched on leg-stump and crashed on to his off-stump. (260-8, 86.2)
One cannot blame Dhoni for failing to keep out the magical delivery; it was just unbelievable that an off-spinner could turn the ball so much the other way.
Anil Kumble tried to score a few runs against Bandara, charging down the track, but missed the ball completely and was bowled for 8. (271-9, 89.5)
Murali had once again worked magic for Sri Lanka and, with good support from Bandara, they had spun a tight web around the Indian batsmen, who surrendered tamely.
India's misery was over when Muralitharan knocked Harbhajan Singh's stump for 7. It was the 'doosra' again -- pitching on the middle stump and hitting the off-stump as the batsman had no clue about it. (290-10, 96.4)
India started the day on 245 for 3, but within the space of 45 runs and 21 overs, they had fallen to the guile of Muralitharan.
Muralitharan finished with 7 for 100 in 38.4 overs to single-handedly trigger the collapse. Leg-spinner Bandara gave him good support, claiming 2 for 54 in 17 overs.
The huge Sunday gathering at the Kotla, expecting some magic from Tendulkar, were left disappointed, but were witness to a magical spell of spin bowling by Muralitharan. He has currently taken 577 wickets from 98 Tests; today he showed why is regarded as one of the best spinners the world of cricket has ever seen.
Tendulkar's 35th century is past; the important thing now is to see how India can bounce back from the disaster. It will be interesting to see how much turn the Indian spinners can extract from the Kotla pitch. If Kumble and Harbhajan also get some purchase from the track and spin a web around the Sri Lankans then we are in for a low-scoring match.
In reply, Sri Lanka opted for a cautious approach, fully aware that it was very important not to lose any early wickets. Though a few deliveries from the Indian pacers -- Agarkar and Pathan -- went past the outside edge, the batsmen were mostly in control.
At lunch, Sri Lanka reached 14 for no loss after nine overs. Marvan Atapattu was unbeaten on 10, while Avishka Gunawardene was not out on 4.
The post-lunch session will hold the key as far as this Test is concerned. Whichever team wins this session will surely take the upper hand in this Test.
Post-lunch session: (89 runs, 2 wickets, 31 overs)
Seamers Pathan and Agarkar kept a tight line and length and often went close to the edge, but that elusive wicket evaded India.
Atapattu took a leaf from Indian captain Rahul Dravid's book by coming in to open the innings despite of his recent poor form. The Sri Lankan skipper was in poor form in the one-day international series and had dropped himself down the order then, but here he looked determined while leading from the front.
The pacers did a fine containing job as Sri Lanka were restricted to 28 for no loss after 18 overs before Kumble was called into the attack for a second time. He had bowled a solitary over before lunch.
One wondered whether the introduction of the ace leg-spinner was perhaps a bit delayed, especially if you consider that the batsmen now had a good look at the wicket and adjusted to the wicket.
Kumble has an impressive record at the Kotla, having taken 38 wickets in five Tests at 15.61, which also includes his 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan.
However, it was Irfan Pathan, in his third spell, who got the crucial breakthrough when he trapped Gunawardene leg before wicket. The Sri Lankan opener moved across his stumps but failed to make contact with the ball and was hit on the pads. (54-1, 22.3)
Even though the left-hander scored 25, he was involved in a vital 54-run opening partnership with Atapattu, staying at the wicket for more than 22 overs and denying the Indian bowlers early wickets with the new, shining ball.
In his next over, Pathan got the all-important of Kumara Sangakkara for 3. The mainstay of the Sri Lankan team tried to play down a short delivery from Pathan, but it bounced more than expected, taking the outside edge straight to Kumble at gully. (62-2, 25.2)
Off-spinner Harbhajan was introduced into the attack after 32 overs and Kumble opted for a change of ends as the two spinners bowled together for the first time in the innings.
A solid-looking Atapattu reached his half-century from 114 balls, with eight boundaries, in the 38th over as the score reached 94 for 2.
Sri Lanka avoided any further mishaps in the session to reach 103 for 2 from 40 overs at tea. Atapattu was unbeaten on a solid 55, while Mahela Jayawardene started confidently, scoring 13 from 37 balls.
For India, Pathan was the lone wicket taker with 2 for 20 from 15 overs, while Kumble and Harbhajan were yet to hit top form.
Post-tea session: (95 runs, 30.3 overs, 4 wickets)
Atapattu and Jayawardene brought up their 50-run partnership for the third wicket in 105 balls as they looked to accelerate the scoring in the final session.
Jayawardene, in particular, played his shots freely and even charged down the wicket to Harbhajan and hoisted him over the midwicket fence for a boundary.
Muralitharan and Shane Warne have the ability to turn the ball square on any pitch, something proved by Murali today. The Indian spinners did get some purchase from the wicket, but not as much as Murali, and hence the Sri Lankan had it relatively easy against the likes of Harbhajan and Kumble.
Kumble struggled as he bowled short and at times bowled on the pads. Harbhajan on the other hand was nicely milked by both the batsman, using intelligent shots on both sides of the wicket. Even Sourav Ganguly, using all his experience of his years as captain, tried his hand at setting the field to help Dravid.
Jayawardene reached his 25th Test half-century in 88 deliveries and hit eight boundaries to carry on his good batting form of the first Test in Chennai.
He and Atapattu didn't let the spinners settle down and occasionally used the slog sweep to break their rhythm. They brought up their 100-run partnership in 175 balls in the 55th over, with Atapattu on 69 and Jayawardene looking dangerous on 54.
The difference between the Sri Lankans and the Indian batsmen was that the visitors did not let the spinners settle down, while India were quite content to play a defensive game.
With things not happening for the regular spinners, India brought in Sachin Tendulkar to turn his arm over in the 58th over. What was surprising was that Sourav Ganguly was not tried, given his consistent record with the ball in domestic cricket this season.
Jayawardene's flamboyance eventually brought about his dismissal. He tried to sweep Kumble, but was hit on the pads by a fast, straighter one and was dismissed leg before wicket to become the veteran leg-spinner's 50th Sri Lankan wicket. (175-3, 58.3)
Jayawardene had provided Sri Lanka the momentum, scoring 60 from 103 balls with nine boundaries, and in the process added 112 runs for the third wicket with Atapattu.
The second wicket didn't take long though, as he immediately struck in his next over. Thilan Samaraweera, on 1, was beaten by a classical leg spinning delivery from Kumble and was bowled. (179-4, 60.2)
With an inexperienced lower order to follow, the question now was: could Kumble do what Muralitharan had done in the morning session?
By now Kumble was on fire, and Tillakaratne Dilshan was sent back to the pavilion off the first ball he faced. Dilshan played back and was beaten by a faster one from Kumble, to be ruled leg before wicket. (179-5, 60.3)
Three wickets in the space of seven deliveries had brought India right back into the match. The players looked upbeat and suddenly the bowlers looked on top.
Kumble ended the day in style, getting the prized wicket of Atapattu, who played a solid knock of 88. The Sri Lankan captain got an inside edge, which was brilliantly caught by Gautam Gambhir at short fine leg. (198-6, 70.3)
Atapattu's 202-ball knock contained 11 boundaries and it seemed as if he would hold the key for Sri Lanka on day three, but a tentative push against Kumble ended his stay at the wicket and also the visitors' hope of taking the game away from India.
Jehan Mubarak was unbeaten on 10 from 28 balls as Sri Lanka ended the day on 198 for 6 in 70.3 overs.
Kumble, playing in his 99th Test, took 4 for 54 from 21.3 overs, while Pathan scalped 2 for 20 in his 16 overs.
The first wicket took some time for Kumble, but once he got in the groove he was just unstoppable as India staged a remarkable comeback.
The important things for India now would be to bowl out the Lankans as quickly as possible tomorrow, since every run scored by them tomorrow would have a bearing on the final result, with the pitch turning a great deal and batting becoming difficult.
