Colombo: India maintain advantage despite Sri Lanka’s strong fightback

August 26, 2026 3 Min Read

By Rahul Sharma — 26 August 2026 — 3 min read

Sri Lanka’s First Innings and Follow-On

Sri Lanka began the day with Sonal Dinusha at the crease, who was given out lbw to Saransh Jain on 85. A successful review, however, showed the ball would have gone over the stumps, granting him a reprieve. Dinusha capitalised on this, hitting a six and a four off Jain in quick succession to reach the nineties. He soon completed his second century of the series by pulling a short ball from Prasidh Krishna for six.

Dinusha, who scored 103, and Lahiru Kumara, who made 12, added 58 runs to the total. Jain eventually dismissed both batsmen, securing his first Test wickets. Sri Lanka were ultimately bowled out for 290, falling 14 runs short of avoiding the follow-on. India’s spin bowling coach, Sairaj Bahutule, praised Dinusha, calling him a “fabulous player” who understands local conditions well and plays spin effectively.

Bahutule also noted that the decision to enforce the follow-on was made without debate, despite the effort it would require from the bowlers, as rain was a constant concern. He stated that the team was well-prepared and eager to continue playing.

Sri Lanka’s Second Innings Resistance

India enforced the follow-on, and Mohammed Siraj struck early, dismissing Lahiru Udara for 3 with a sharp bouncer, leaving Sri Lanka at 5 for 1. However, Kamil Mishara, who scored 32, and Pasindu Sooriyabandara then shifted the momentum. Mishara attacked the Indian spinners before Ravindra Jadeja ended his innings. Sooriyabandara continued to play aggressively, not allowing the spinners to settle and reaching his second fifty of the Test.

Kamindu Mendis, contributing 55 runs, provided significant support, and the pair built a 115-run partnership for the third wicket. Mendis also reached his half-century before miscuing a pull shot, which was caught by Shubman Gill. Sooriyabandara appeared set for a century but was dismissed for 92, eight runs short, after stepping out to Manav Suthar, who bowled wide. Rishabh Pant completed a stumping to secure a crucial breakthrough for India.

Despite a late collapse in wickets, Sri Lanka managed to take a lead before rain brought an early end to the day’s play. The hosts are currently 16 runs ahead with four wickets remaining, setting up an intriguing final day in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 in Colombo. The weather is expected to play a significant role in the outcome.

India’s Bowling Strategy and Day 5 Outlook

India’s bowling approach during the middle sessions of the day was described as lacking innovation, with defensive field placements allowing Sri Lankan batters to score easily. Bahutule explained that the strategy involved holding positions with open fields, and that spinners were assigned specific roles. He acknowledged that Test cricket can change quickly, which was evident in the final session when India picked up crucial wickets.

The bowling unit, including Suthar, Jadeja, and Jain, struggled for control against the fluent batting of Sooriyabandara and Mendis. Suthar, who had been impressive in the first Test, conceded runs at a high rate early in his spell, which influenced captain Gill’s decision to opt for defensive fields. Bahutule defended Suthar, stating he is a quality bowler who will learn from such experiences.

Fast bowlers also largely relied on short-ball tactics. A notable tactical adjustment came against Sooriyabandara when Pant moved up to the stumps, which helped restrict the batsman’s movement and fluency. This led to Suthar capitalising on Sooriyabandara’s eagerness, resulting in his dismissal. Suthar then took another wicket, and Jain dismissed Niroshan Dickwella, putting pressure on Sri Lanka’s lower order. The final day promises an exciting conclusion, with India needing four wickets to close Sri Lanka’s innings and then chase down the target for a potential clean sweep.