Sri Lanka produced a resilient display in Colombo to salvage a draw against India in the second Test, marking a significant milestone for the hosts. Despite trailing by 213 runs after the first innings and being forced to follow on, the home side batted with determination on the final day to deny India a clean sweep of the two-match series.
The result ensures that India concludes the tour with a 1-0 series victory, having secured a win in the opening Test in Galle. For Sri Lanka, the draw represents a rare achievement, as they successfully avoided defeat after being asked to follow on—a feat they had not managed in eight previous attempts against India.
Dinusha leads historic resistance
The cornerstone of Sri Lanka's second-innings fightback was an exceptional performance from Sonal Dinusha. Resuming the final day at 229/6, the hosts reached 429/9 by the time the match was called off. Dinusha anchored the innings with an unbeaten 133, supported by Keshara Nuwantha, who contributed 46 runs. The pair shared a crucial 112-run partnership for the seventh wicket, which proved vital in steering the team to safety.
This performance capped a prolific series for Dinusha, who had already scored a century in the first innings of the Colombo Test and another in the series opener at Galle. By scoring centuries in both innings of this match, he became only the third batter in the history of the game to achieve the feat while following on, joining the ranks of Vijay Hazare and Andy Flower.
India's bowling effort and series outcome
India’s bowlers pushed hard for the victory on the final day, with Ravindra Jadeja claiming 3/94 and Manav Suthar finishing with 3/121. Despite their efforts to break the stubborn Sri Lankan resistance, the visitors were unable to secure the final wicket required to force a win. The draw marks only the fourth time in their history that Sri Lanka has managed to save a Test match after being asked to follow on, following previous instances against Zimbabwe, England, and the West Indies.
