28 August,2026 09:42 AM IST | Colombo | R Kaushik
India’s Manav Suthar looks on as SL’s Sonal Dinusha takes a run during his 133 not out in Colombo on Thursday. Pics/PTI
[popcorn number="13" desc="No. of drawn Tests after India enforced the follow-on. India have won 30 out of 43 such Tests" class="Default"]
[popcorn number="One" desc="Sonal Dinusha is the first player to score centuries in both innings (103 & 133') while batting at No. 6 or lower in a Test match against India" class="Default"]
[popcorn number="173" desc="No. of runs scored by Sonal Dinusha off the sweep shot against spin in the two Tests against India - the most by any player in a Test series" class="Default"]
[popcorn number="Eight" desc="No. of times Sri Lanka have taken the lead after a follow-on in Tests" class="Default"]
[popcorn number="Four" desc="No. of times SL have saved a Test after being asked to follow-on" class="Default"]
[popcorn number="Seven" desc="No. of Tests left for India in this WTC cycle (2 vs NZ, 5 vs Australia)" class="Default"]
All of 25 years old and playing in only his fifth Test, Sonal Dinusha reaffirmed his credentials as one of the most promising batters in world cricket, helping Sri Lanka grind out an honourable draw in the second Test at the SSC ground.
India began Thursday's final day with their noses well in front - Sri Lanka were only 16 ahead at 229-6 - and had good reason to believe a 2-0 sweep was on the cards, but they were comprehensively baulked by the assurance, composure, technique and grit of Dinusha, who brought up his third century of the series and the second of the Test to emulate a select band of players.
Coming off scores of 100, 84, and 103 in the three previous knocks, the left-hander batted for exactly seven hours in finishing unbeaten on 133 and helping his team to 429-9 when the teams shook hands to formalise the draw that had looked the only genuine possibility after the first session. In all, Dinusha batted for 1,139 minutes and negotiated 722 deliveries during the two Tests for 420 attractive runs, at least half of which came through the sweep. Even assuming that India had plans in place to cut off his primary scoring stroke, they didn't execute them to any degree of satisfaction.
The 1-0 series victory notwithstanding, the stalemate in Colombo has come as a huge blow to India's aspirations of making it to the final of the World Test Championship.
It wasn't just Dinusha who was a thorn in India's side. He was the constant throughout the final day of the series, but he couldn't have ploughed a lone furrow. Keshara Nuwantha first, and then Lahiru Kumara, offered lion-hearted support as India's three-pronged spin attack of Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar and debutant Saransh Jain failed to make an impression.
Nuwantha had helped Dinusha add 112 for the seventh wicket in the second innings in a losing cause in Galle. The same quantum of runs triggered a more acceptable result as he batted for 174 minutes, not surrendering his hand until the first over after lunch. India packed off Prabath Jayasuriya cheaply, but Kumara hung around for 90 deliveries to drive Shubman Gill and his team ragged. What was starkly evident as the Lankans battened down the hatches was the lack of chances created by India, though a tenuous defence can be offered that not even a day-five pitch gave their tweakers any joy.
Brief scores
India 503-9d drew with SL 290 & 429-9 (S Dinusha 133', P Sooriyabandara 92, K Mendis 55, K Nuwantha 46; R Jadeja 3-94, M Suthar 3-121)
