Sri Lanka were batting to save the second Test against India at the SSC on Thursday, having been made to follow on and taken a lead of 116 runs into the first session of the final day.
Sri Lanka had reached 329 for 6 in their second innings by that point, with Sonal Dinusha unbeaten on 55 and Keshara Nuwantha on 46. India, who declared their first innings at 503 for 9, needed four wickets. Around 67 overs remained. The match was still in progress at the time of writing.
How India regained control
Sri Lanka resumed day four on 265 for 8, still 39 short of avoiding the follow-on, Hiru News reported. Dinusha cut into that deficit quickly — sweeping Saransh Jain for six and pulling Jain and Prasidh Krishna for fours to reach 103, his second century of the series.
A loose stroke from Lahiru Kumara ended the innings on 290. Jain took that wicket, his first in Tests, then had Dinusha caught at slip. India, whose bowling coach Morne Morkel had signalled their intentions at the close of day three, enforced the follow-on with a lead of 213 — driven, ESPNcricinfo reported, by the threat of bad weather.
What followed was the best batting of Sri Lanka’s series. After Mohammed Siraj had Lahiru Udara caught at long leg inside four overs, Pasindu Sooriyabandara — playing his second Test and his first in the starting XI — put on 58 off 67 balls with Kamil Mishara, the pair sweeping and reverse-sweeping the spinners at every opportunity. Ravindra Jadeja ended it with an lbw upheld on umpire’s call.
Sooriyabandara then added 115 for the third wicket with Kamindu Mendis. At 209 for 3, Sri Lanka were four runs behind with seven wickets standing on a pitch still good for batting.
The collapse
Manav Suthar broke it, dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva and then Sooriyabandara in the space of two overs. Sooriyabandara was stumped for 92, eight short of a maiden Test hundred. Kamindu had already gone for 55, caught by captain Shubman Gill running in from square leg off Siraj.
When Jain trapped Niroshan Dickwella lbw, Sri Lanka were effectively 5 for 6. Rain ended play early with the seventh-wicket pair having added 11, leaving Sri Lanka 229 for 6 and just 16 ahead.
India lead the series 1-0 after winning the Galle Test by 165 runs, and Sri Lanka can no longer level it. A draw would deny India a 2-0 sweep.
