Colombo: Sonal Dinusha capped a defining series with a second-innings masterclass in resolve and patience by hitting a marathon unbeaten 133 off 264 balls to help Sri Lanka seal a hard-fought draw against India in the second Test at the SSC Ground on Thursday. The result also meant that India won the two-game series 1-0.
Forced to follow on after making 290 in the first innings and starting day five with a slender 16-run lead, Dinusha’s rearguard and resilient efforts meant Sri Lanka reached 429/9 in 154 overs before declaring late in the final session.
In a stark reflection of India’s bowling exhaustion on an unresponsive pitch, captain Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel were called upon to bowl the closing overs of the match.
But the day belonged entirely to the young left-hander Dinusha, who reached his second century of the match off the very first ball after the tea break was over. Clipping a full delivery from Mohammed Siraj into the mid-wicket pocket for a couple, Dinusha took off his helmet and raised his bat to soak in the applause for his third hundred of the series.
The landmark made him only the third Sri Lankan to score three centuries in a two-match Test series after Aravinda de Silva and Kumar Sangakkara, and the eighth man from his country to hit twin tons in a Test. India’s tiring attack struggled to break down Sri Lanka’s lower-order defiance throughout the final session. Siraj was limited in his bowling overs due to a physical niggle, while Ravindra Jadeja also laboured through discomfort.
With all that in mind, Sri Lanka’s tail dug in to completely extinguish India’s victory hopes. Lahiru Kumara grounded it out for a stoic 12 off 90 balls before falling to Jadeja, after being caught brilliantly by Jaiswal at short leg.
Dinusha accelerated by launching both Jadeja and Gill over deep mid-wicket for a brace of sixes before striking successive boundaries off Jaiswal’s leg-spin, as he put on 27 runs for a last-wicket stand with Asitha Fernando, who was unbeaten on 0, but more importantly played 24 balls.
By the time hands were shaken and a draw was called, Dinusha took his series tally to 419 runs at an average of 139.66. The Sri Lankan dressing room gave the youngster a standing ovation for the third time that day, with Indian players offering warm congratulations for a heroic marathon effort that saved the Test for the hosts after they were in danger of losing it quickly.
Brief scores:
India 503/9 dec in 138 overs draw with Sri Lanka 290 and (f/o) 429/9 in 154 overs (Sonal Dinusha 133 not out, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 92; Manav Suthar 3-105, Ravindra Jadeja 3-94)
(IANS)
