Dhruv Jurel made an unbeaten 115 to carry India to 503 for nine declared on day two of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, and Sri Lanka closed on 8 for 2 in fading light, trailing by 495 runs.
Jurel faced 177 balls for his second Test century, hitting nine fours and two sixes, Ada Derana reported. India’s innings lasted 138 overs and was built on Devdutt Padikkal’s 117 the previous day and a 112-run stand between Jurel and Rishabh Pant.
Pant sets the tone, Jurel holds it
Asitha Fernando removed debutant Saransh Jain early with a bumper fended to a diving second slip — his fourth wicket of the innings — but the dismissal brought Pant to the crease and India took control from there.
Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers went short at Pant, as they had the day before when he was struck. He hooked one from around the wicket onto the SSC roof, forcing a ball change, and did not look back, making 63 off 89 in a stand that took just 152 deliveries. At the other end Jurel accumulated without risk.
Pant fell first ball after lunch, finding long-off against the run of play. Manav Suthar then added 39 in 76 balls with Jurel before edging a wide delivery from Prabath Jayasuriya.
A two-hour and ten-minute rain break left Jurel stranded on 95. When play resumed, Sri Lanka crowded the bat and choked the singles, and he took 22 deliveries to find the run — eventually driving Fernando over the bowler’s head and diving full length to complete a risky single as a direct hit missed the stumps. He marked the hundred by raising his sleeve to show a tattoo reading “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”.
He then hit Fernando for two sixes before Shubman Gill declared once India passed 500. Fernando finished with 4 for 106, and Jayasuriya and Keshara Nuwantha took two apiece.
Two down in bad light
Sri Lanka began their reply with under an hour left and were off the field after two deliveries when it drizzled. Play resumed at 5.35 p.m. and lasted three overs.
Prasidh Krishna had Lahiru Udara caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully, diving to his right, off a leading edge as the opener closed the face early on a ball that bounced and straightened. Suthar then trapped nightwatchman Jayasuriya lbw with an arm ball; Sri Lanka reviewed, but umpire’s call on the wickets confirmed the decision. Umpires stopped play for bad light immediately afterwards.
Both dismissed batters walked off aggrieved, having complained repeatedly to the umpires about the light, ESPNcricinfo reported. Debutant Kamil Mishara was unbeaten at the non-striker’s end.
Sri Lanka must win the Test to draw the series level after India took the first match in Galle by 165 runs. With three days left and a deficit of 495, that outcome is now remote. The ICC has separately sanctioned Jaiswal and Fernando over an incident during day one.
