India seize control as Sri Lanka's resistance crumbles in final session

Sonal Dinusha and Pasindu Sooriyabandara led Sri Lanka's fightback with a first-innings hundred and a second-innings 92 respectively, but India repeatedly found ways to stay ahead in the Test. Dinusha's century helped Sri Lanka reduce the first-innings deficit to 213 runs, and after being asked to follow on, Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis' century stand gave Sri Lanka a stronger chance of saving the Test.

India, however, struck regularly in the final session, leaving Sri Lanka with plenty of work to do on the final day. Bowled out for 290 and asked to bat again, Sri Lanka ended Day 4 of the second Test at the SSC on 229 for 6, leading by 16 runs. Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar took three wickets apiece in the first innings, while Suthar added two more in the second to help India maintain control of the Test.

Sri Lanka started Day 4 on 265 for 8, trailing by 238 runs, with Dinusha unbeaten on 85. Dinusha soon shifted gears, taking on Saransh Jain with a six and a four early in the day before bringing up his second hundred of the series with a pull for a boundary off Prasidh Krishna. Lahiru Kumara also attempted to break free and struck Saransh over mid-on for four. But the attacking approach brought about his downfall two balls later, as he miscued a lofted shot towards deep cover and Dhruv Jurel took an excellent low catch. The wicket gave Saransh his maiden Test scalp.

Dinusha's resistance ended soon after, with Saransh picking up his second wicket. The offspinner tossed one up outside off and drew the left-hander into a forward push, with the outside edge carrying safely to Rahul at slip as Dinusha was dismissed for 103, giving India a lead of 213.

Sri Lanka made a positive start to their second innings after being asked to follow on, although they lost Lahiru Udara early. Kamil Mishara and Sooriyabandara then counter-attacked the Indian spinners, with both Suthar and Saransh conceding runs. Mishara in particular was aggressive, but his 58-run second-wicket partnership with Sooriyabandara ended when Ravindra Jadeja trapped him lbw for 32. Sooriyabandara continued to anchor the innings while Mendis joined him and the pair steadily shifted the momentum towards Sri Lanka.

Sooriyabandara brought up his second fifty of the match with a four off Jadeja, becoming the first Sri Lankan batter since Danushka Gunathilaka in 2018 to score twin fifties in a Test at the SSC. Mendis followed him to fifty with a six off Prasidh, his first half-century against India, as the third wicket pair extended the partnership past 100, with the deficit falling below 50.

India finally found a breakthrough when Prasidh went short to Mendis and Shubman Gill took a superb running catch at square leg, ending the 116-run stand. Sooriyabandara and Dhananjaya de Silva then shut shop, ensuring Sri Lanka did not lose further wickets in the session. By Tea, the hosts had reached 199 for 3 – only 14 runs behind India – with 116 runs coming in the session in 34 overs for a solitary wicket and Sooriyabandara entering the 90s.

Sri Lanka's resistance, however, began to crumble in the final session as India made regular inroads to seize control of the Test. Dhananjaya de Silva briefly threatened to accelerate the scoring, launching Suthar for a six, but the left-arm spinner struck soon after when the Sri Lankan captain miscued a flatter delivery onto his thigh pad, with Devdutt Padikkal taking a sharp catch at gully to leave Sri Lanka at 209 for 4.

Sooriyabandara, who had batted superbly for 92, threw away his wicket. Having survived an LBW review after an inside edge saved him, he charged Suthar but could not reach a slower, wider delivery, allowing Rishabh Pant to complete a straightforward stumping. India then tightened the screws further, with Saransh Jain trapping Niroshan Dickwella lbw to leave Sri Lanka at 218/6. Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha then dug in and remained unbeaten as the light deteriorated and it began to rain, leading to early stumps.

Brief scores: India 503/9 decl. trail Sri Lanka 290 (Sonal Dinusha 103, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 80; Prasidh Krishna 3-52, Manav Suthar 3-85) & 229/6 f/o (Pasindu Sooriyabandara 92, Kamindu Mendis 55; Manav Suthar 2-81) by 16 runs.