Sri Lanka showed some fight on day four of the second Test, but India’s bowlers struck at crucial moments to leave the hosts at 229 for six in their second innings.Rain and bad light stopped play before India could finish the job, leaving Sri Lanka needing another strong effort to avoid a series defeat.Sri Lanka had earlier been forced to follow on after being bowled out for 290, falling 13 runs short of the follow-on mark. Sonal Dinusha was the standout performer, scoring 103 for his second century of the series.
Sooriyabandara and Mendis lead the fightback
Sri Lanka lost their openers early in the second innings, but Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis changed the momentum with a 115-run partnership. The pair attacked the Indian bowlers and helped Sri Lanka recover from 63 for two.Mendis hit Manav Suthar for two sixes and reached his half-century with another six, while Sooriyabandara soon followed with a 78-ball fifty.Prasidh Krishna eventually broke the partnership, with Shubman Gill taking a running catch to dismiss Mendis for 55. Sri Lanka reached tea at 199 for three, just 14 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat.
India strike late
The final session belonged to India as they picked up three more wickets. Dhananjaya de Silva was dismissed by Suthar before Sooriyabandara, who was closing in on his maiden Test century, threw away his wicket while charging at the spinner. Rishabh Pant completed the stumping.Saransh Jain then dismissed Niroshan Dickwella to reduce Sri Lanka to 218 for six. India had nearly an hour to finish the innings, but heavy rain ended play at 4:37 pm.Earlier, Dinusha completed his century with a powerful pull off Prasidh. India also had a concern when Mohammad Siraj injured himself while diving for a catch, though he returned later and continued bowling with a shorter run-up.
