Former India captain Dravid stroked 177 not out and shared in a 224-run sixth-wicket stand with Dhoni after Sri Lanka quick Chanaka Welegedara had reduced the hosts to 32 for four with a three-wicket burst.
Dravid showed exemplary shot selection as he crafted a spectacular innings studded with 26 fours and a six and also took his test aggregate past the 11,000-run mark.
Welegedara dismissed openers Gautam Gambhir (1) and Virender Sehwag (16), and Sachin Tendulkar for four, before Dammika Prasad clean bowled Vangipurappu Laxman for a duck to raise Sri Lanka’s hopes of recording their first test win on Indian soil.
With Sri Lanka’s regular paceman Nuwan Kulasekara dropped and Thilan Thushara out with a shoulder injury, Welegedara made the most of being called up for only his second test after a two year absence with a scintillating early spell after India close to bat first.
After Gambhir played on to his stumps, the paceman trapped Sehwag leg before and bowled Tendulkar in the same over with a delivery that swung in.
Dhoni was caught behind when he attempted to slash at Prasad in the 88th over.
Harbhajan Singh was at the crease with Dravid at stumps as India fell one run short of equalling their record for the most runs scored in a single day of a test.
Yuvraj (68) recorded his seventh test fifty with two boundaries off pacer Angelo Mathews, before master spinner Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed him.
Muralitharan, playing in his last overseas test series, had the left-hander caught at short cover to put Sri Lanka in a strong position at 157 for five on a good batting pitch.
But Dravid and Dhoni, who recorded his second test hundred, broke Sri Lanka’s grip with a terrific partnership — scoring at a quick rate, especially in the final session.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, picked ahead of mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis, proved ineffective as the Indian pair cut loose.
Dravid reached his century with a single off Herath and his 150 with a single of Muralitharan as he cut and drove with poise and power.
India are aiming to record their 100th test victory in what is also a landmark test for Tendulkar who joined a select band of 15 players whose test careers have spanned over 20 years.
SCOREBOARD
India first innings
G. Gambhir b Welegedara 1
V. Sehwag lbw b Welegedara 16
R. Dravid not out 177
S. Tendulkar b Welegedara 4
V. Laxman b Prasad 0
Y. Singh c Dilshan b Muralitharan 68
MS. Dhoni c P. Jayawardene b
Prasad 110
H. Singh not out 2
Extras (b-2, nb-2, lb-2, w-1) 7
Total (six wickets, 90 overs) 385
To bat: A. Mishra, Z. Khan, I. Sharma
Fall of wickets: 1-14 2-27 3-31 4-32, 5-157, 6-381
Bowling (to date): Welegedara 17-3-75-3 (w-1), Prasad 18-1-90-2 (nb-1), Mathews 12-1-50-0, Muralitharan 23-3-90-1 (nb-1), Herath 19-1-73-0, Dilshan 1-0-3-0.
Sri Lanka:
Tillakaratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene, Dammika Prasad, Rangana Herath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chanaka Welegedara.
