India enforce follow-on as Sri Lanka reach 83/2 at lunch

India’s decision to enforce the follow-on paid dividends as Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj struck to reduce Sri Lanka to 83/2 at lunch on day four. Sri Lanka still trail by 130 runs after being bowled out for 290.

Colombo: India’s decision to enforce the follow-on began to pay dividends in the opening session of the fourth day as Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj struck to leave Sri Lanka 83 for two at lunch, still 130 runs short of making India bat again, here at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Sri Lanka had resumed at 265 for eight, with Sonal Dinusha unbeaten on 85 and only two wickets standing between India and a first-innings lead large enough to enforce the follow-on. Dinusha duly completed another hundred in the series, but India needed only four overs after his landmark to wrap up the innings for 290 and secure a 213-run lead.

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Dinusha’s 103 off 162 balls was once again the cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s resistance. Having already made 100 and 84 in Galle, the left-hander produced another composed, largely chanceless innings, negotiating both pace and spin before accelerating towards his century. He reached three figures by pulling Prasidh Krishna for four, but his celebration was short-lived.

Lahiru Kumara, who had offered Dinusha valuable support with a patient 12 off 58 balls, fell soon afterwards. Saransh Jain, who had been denied his maiden Test wicket twice by DRS earlier in the innings, finally got his reward when Kumara attempted to hit him down the ground and edged a flighted delivery towards cover. Dhruv Jurel ran in and completed an excellent low catch.

Jain then closed out the innings himself, enticing Dinusha into a forward push with a fuller off-break that turned away to take the outside edge. Rahul held the catch at slip, giving the young off-spinner his second wicket of the innings and ending an innings that had frustrated India for much of the previous two days.

With Sri Lanka dismissed for 290, India opted to put them straight back in, only the second time Sri Lanka have been asked to follow on in their last 27 Tests. The visitors had little trouble making an immediate impact.

Prasidh Krishna opened the bowling, but it was Siraj who made the first breakthrough. Returning to the attack after his recent two-month break, Siraj had acknowledged that he was still searching for full rhythm, but he used the short ball effectively against Lahiru Udara. At 3 for 0, he produced a well-directed delivery around shoulder height, forcing Udara into a pull which went to Saransh Jain at fine leg.

Sri Lanka’s opening troubles against India continued, with their first-wicket stands in the last 14 Tests against India now averaging only 10.32. The hosts have also lost their opening wicket in single figures in three of the four innings in this series.

Kamil Mishara and Pasindu Sooriyabandara initially steadied the innings before adopting a more aggressive approach against India’s spinners. Mishara used the sweep and reverse-sweep effectively, while Sooriyabandara attacked Manav Suthar and later Saransh Jain with drives and sweeps.

There was concern for India when Siraj hurt his rib cage attempting a difficult catch at deep mid-wicket after Sooriyabandara top-edged a slog-sweep off Suthar. He left the field briefly but later returned, easing concerns over his fitness.

The partnership eventually produced 57 runs before Jadeja broke through. Mishara, who had struck three fours and a six in his 39-ball 32, attempted a sweep against a sharply turning delivery and was struck in front. The on-field lbw decision survived review on the umpire’s call, leaving Sri Lanka 63 for two.

From there, Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis negotiated India’s spinners with increasing caution. Sooriyabandara reached 35 off 52 balls by the interval, while Mendis was unbeaten on 10 from 26.

India’s spinners maintained a tight grip after the initial burst of aggression. Jadeja finished the session with one wicket from five overs, while Saransh, who had taken the final wicket of the first innings, bowled six overs for 24 without adding to his tally. Suthar was used for seven overs, conceding 36, while Prasidh and Siraj shared the new-ball workload.

At 83 for two, however, Sri Lanka had at least prevented India from running away with the advantage immediately. The hosts remain 130 runs from wiping out the deficit and forcing India to bat again, but India’s two early wickets have ensured that the follow-on is already exerting considerable pressure.

For a side that had resisted for 290 after being reduced to 87 for seven in the first innings, Sri Lanka’s second attempt began with another setback. India, meanwhile, will take encouragement from having removed both an opener and the dangerous Mishara before lunch.

Brief Scores: India 503/9 in 138 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 117, Dhruv Jurel 115 not out; Asitha Fernando 4-106, Prabath Jayasuriya 2-132) lead Sri Lanka 290 and 83/2 f/o in 22 overs (Pasindu Sooriyabandara 35 not out, Kamil Mishara 32; Mohammed Siraj 1-7, Ravindra Jadeja 1-13) by 130 runs.