Colombo [Sri Lanka], August 27 (ANI): Sri Lanka produced a remarkable fightback to force a draw against India in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Thursday, with Sonal Dinusha leading the resistance with a magnificent unbeaten 133.
India, who had enforced the follow-on after taking a 213-run first-innings lead, were unable to bowl Sri Lanka out for a second time as the hosts finished on 429/9 in 154 overs.
However, India takes the series 1-0 after winning the first Test by 165 runs.
This marked only the eighth instance in Test cricket of Sri Lanka taking a lead after being forced to follow on. Their 216-run lead in this match is their biggest in such circumstances, surpassing the previous record of 178 runs against England at Lord's in 2006.
The turnaround was particularly significant given Sri Lanka's record after being asked to follow on: they had lost 24 of their previous 27 Tests in such situations, including all eight against India.
Sri Lanka's lower-order batters dug in and collectively spent close to 90 overs at the crease. That was also why Sri Lanka opted against declaring, wary of giving India a chance to chase a target on a surface that continued to offer excellent batting conditions.
India had earlier posted a commanding 503/9 declared after winning the toss and opting to bat. Devdutt Padikkal struck a superb 117 off 193 balls, while Dhruv Jurel remained unbeaten on 115 off 177 balls. Rishabh Pant also made a fluent 63, helping India build a substantial first-innings total.
Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 290 in 89.4 overs, leaving India with a 213-run advantage and prompting captain Shubman Gill to enforce the follow-on.
The hosts' second innings began under enormous pressure, but Pasindu Sooriyabandara and the lower order staged a determined fightback. Sooriyabandara scored 92 off 173 balls, while Kamindu Mendis contributed 55 as Sri Lanka gradually erased the deficit.
However, the standout performer was Dinusha. After scoring 103 in the first innings, the left-hander produced another outstanding effort in the second, batting for 264 balls for his unbeaten 133. His marathon innings ensured Sri Lanka survived India's attack and secured the draw.
Dinusha's performance also capped an extraordinary two-Test series. He accumulated 409 runs in four innings, including three centuries and one fifty, emerging as one of Sri Lanka's biggest positives from the series.
India's Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja claimed three wickets apiece in Sri Lanka's second innings, but the Indian attack could not find the final breakthrough. Suthar finished with 3/121, while Jadeja returned 3/94.
With Dinusha and Asitha Fernando at the crease when the match ended, Sri Lanka had successfully batted for 154 overs in their second innings.
The result meant India could not convert their first-innings dominance into victory, while Sri Lanka's extraordinary lower-order resistance earned them a hard-fought draw.
From India's perspective, centuries from Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel, complemented by valuable contributions throughout the batting order, put the visitors firmly in control within the first two days.
However, the SSC surface offered little assistance to the bowlers and increasingly proved a batsman-friendly track, making it difficult for India to force a result on the final day.
Despite their efforts, the Indian attack could not find the breakthrough needed to seal victory as Sri Lanka held on for a draw. Across the two-Test series, Manav Suthar emerged as India's standout bowler, finishing with 16 wickets.
On the other hand, Asitha Fernando led Sri Lanka's bowling attack with 10 wickets across the series, consistently troubling India with his pace and persistence.
Prabath Jayasuriya also played an important role, chipping in with crucial wickets at key moments and providing valuable support to Fernando.
Brief Scores: India: 503/9 (Devdutt Padikkal 117, Dhruv Jurel 115*, Asitha Fernando 4/106) vs Sri Lanka: 290 and 429/9 (Sonal Dinusha 133, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 92; Ravindra Jadeja 3/94). (ANI)
India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test: Sonal Dinusha's majestic ton helps Sri Lanka hold India to a draw
