Sri Lanka drew India quite comfortably despite following on in the second Test of the ongoing series between the two sides at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Thursday, August 27. Sonal Dinusha emerged as the hero for the Lankans with his twin centuries across both innings. India, who batted first in the match, scored a gigantic 503-9 before declaring their innings closed.
Devdutt Padikkal (117) top-scored for the visiting side, and was closely followed by Dhruv Jurel (115). Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant (63) and captain Shubman Gill (50) also contributed to their team's cause and played a big role in enhancing India's total. For the Lankans, Asitha Fernando was the most successful bowler, picking up four wickets.
Sri Lanka responded with 290 in their first innings, with Dinusha top-scoring with 103. Apart from fellow young batter Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who scored 80, none of the other Lankan players could cross the 30-run mark. Thanks to having amassed a massive 213-run lead, India enforced the follow-on (a team only needs a lead of 200 runs to do so).
This plan, however, boomeranged on Gill, as the Lankans proceeded to bat their opponents out of the game. In the second innings, Sri Lanka fared much better than they did in the first, with Dinusha leading the way yet again with an unbeaten 133. Sooriyabandara missed out on another century, getting out on 92 this time.
The Indians were not helped by their poor bowling performance, which allowed Kamindu Mendis (55) and Keshara Nuwantha (46) to help reduce the lead. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who was the hero for the Indians in the first Test, returned with three wickets in this second innings, but no other Indian bowler could impress. All-rounder Saransh Jain, who was picked in the playing XI ahead of Kuldeep Yadav, could only pick up one wicket despite bowling 37 overs.
By the end of the fifth day of the match, the Lankans had garnered a lead of 216 runs and chose to declare. However, there was very little time left in the match, and with no other option, both teams chose to shake hands and accept a draw. Having won the first Test in Galle, India won this Test series 1-0.