India ensured Kumar Sangakkara's retirement from international cricket ended in heavy defeat as they completed a resounding 278-run victory to level the Test series with Sri Lanka.

The elegant left-hander's career finished with a disappointing 18 on day four, and the rest of his team-mates were unable to salvage anything from the match on Monday as the tourists made it 1-1 in the three-match series with one to play.

Resuming on 72-2 chasing an unlikely 413 for victory, Sri Lanka's day got off to the worst possible start when captain Angelo Mathews was dismissed first ball by Umesh Yadav.

From that point, wickets fell at regular intervals, with Dimuth Karunaratne's 46 the only score of note as they tumbled to 134 all out.

Ravichandran Ashwin proved their primary scourge, taking 5-42 as India drew level in the series with the decider set to begin at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Friday.

Despite India's impressive victory - a fine response after their remarkable collapse to lose the first Test - the headlines will belong to Sangakkara, following a distinguished career spanning 15 years, featuring 12,400 runs in 134 Tests at an astonishing average of 57.40.