India tighten hold on Colombo Test despite Dinusha fightback

Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar were among the wickets as India tightened their grip on the Colombo Test despite a determined Sri Lankan fightback on the third day, with the hosts ending on 265/8 after losing six wickets through the day. Sri Lanka still trail by 238 runs, with Sonal Dinusha unbeaten on 85 and Lahiru Kumara on 8 off 50 balls when rain and fading light brought the day to an early end.

Resuming on 8/2, Sri Lanka made a positive start through Kamil Mishara and Pasindu Sooriyabandara, but Prasidh Krishna got into some good rhythm with the semi-new ball. He removed Mishara for 19, getting the left-hander to fend awkwardly at a short delivery that climbed into his gloves and lobbed through to Dhruv Jurel. Sooriyabandara then found an able partner in Kamindu Mendis, and the pair counter-attacked the Indian spinners to add 87.

With the fourth-wicket partnership beginning to put pressure on India, Shubman Gill brought Prasidh back and the pacer struck again just before lunch. Mendis pulled a short ball but failed to keep it down, offering Ravindra Jadeja a straightforward catch at mid-wicket for 32.

Sooriyabandara continued to look assured after Lunch, bringing up his maiden Test fifty and putting Sri Lanka in a better position alongside Dhananjaya de Silva. But the captain lasted only 14 balls before Manav Suthar found an edge, with the ball deflecting off Jurel's gloves before Rahul took the catch at slip.

Sooriyabandara then added 34 with Dinusha before Jadeja ended his resistance for 80. The left-arm spinner kept attacking the stumps, cramped Sooriyabandara with a delivery that took a thick inside edge onto his back thigh before rolling back onto the stumps.

India had another opening soon after when Mohammed Siraj dismissed Niroshan Dickwella for a duck, strangling him down the leg side with a short delivery that took a faint edge through to Jurel. At 173/7, Sri Lanka were still 330 runs behind, but Dinusha found support from Keshara Nuwantha.

The pair settled in against the spinners, with Dinusha using his feet and the sweep effectively while Nuwantha offered solid defence. Dinusha reached his fifty and the pair added 57 for the seventh wicket before Suthar finally broke through, tempting Nuwantha into an ambitious drive that went straight to Saransh Jain at mid-off for 18.

Dinusha remained unbeaten through the final session, reaching 84 and continuing the form that has made him Sri Lanka's most dependable batter in the series. He negotiated both pace and spin comfortably and, alongside Kumara, ensured India did not finish the job before bad light and rain intervened. India took the second new ball but could not force another breakthrough, with the light deteriorating enough for play to be stopped after 83.4 overs.

Brief Scores: India 503/9 dec lead Sri Lanka 265/8 (Sonal Dinusha 85*, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 80; Prasidh Krishna 3-47, Manav Suthar 3-83) by 238 runs