Sri Lanka Fight Back but India Remain in Command at Tea on Day 3

Colombo, Aug 2026 : Sri Lanka showed admirable resistance in the second session on Day 3 of the second Test, but India continued to hold a commanding position as the hosts reached 216/7 at tea, still trailing by 287 runs at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Resuming at 131/4 after a 30-minute rain interruption, Sri Lanka initially looked determined to frustrate India’s bowlers. Pasindu Sooriyabandara and captain Dhananjaya de Silva were at the crease, but India quickly introduced spin, with Manav Suthar operating from one end.

Suthar soon provided the breakthrough, dismissing Dhananjaya for eight. The left-arm spinner got the ball to grip and turn sharply, forcing an edge that deflected off wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel’s gloves before Rahul completed the catch at slip. Sri Lanka slipped to 137/5 and remained more than 350 runs behind India.

Sooriyabandara continued to anchor the innings and played an important role in delaying India’s push for the remaining wickets. The right-hander displayed patience and controlled strokeplay to reach 80 from 133 balls, including nine boundaries.

However, Ravindra Jadeja eventually brought his resistance to an end. Persistently attacking the stumps, Jadeja induced a thick inside edge from Sooriyabandara, with the ball ricocheting off his back thigh before rolling onto the stumps. The dismissal left Sri Lanka struggling at 171/6.

India struck again soon after as Mohammed Siraj removed Niroshan Dickwella for a duck. Siraj bowled a short delivery down the leg side, and Dickwella got a faint edge while attempting to work it away. Jurel reacted sharply behind the stumps to complete a low catch, giving Siraj his first wicket of the innings.

With Sri Lanka reduced to seven down, Sonal Dinusha emerged as the key figure in the lower order. He combined effectively with Keshara Nuwantha and counter-attacked whenever India’s spinners applied pressure.

Dinusha brought up his half-century from 84 deliveries, reaching the milestone with a glance off Suthar that raced to the boundary. He had earlier taken the attack to Saransh Jain, hitting him for a six, before finding the boundary against Jadeja.

Nuwantha also contributed valuable resistance. He struck Jain for a six, providing some relief after consecutive maiden overs from Jadeja and Jain had increased the pressure on the Sri Lankan batting line-up.

India briefly believed they had another breakthrough when they reviewed an lbw decision against Nuwantha. However, replays showed a substantial inside edge, resulting in India losing the review.

At the tea interval, Dinusha remained unbeaten on 52 off 84 balls, while Nuwantha was not out on 13 from 65 deliveries. Their partnership for the eighth wicket ensured Sri Lanka avoided another major collapse before the break.

Jadeja was particularly economical, conceding just 27 runs in 15 overs while taking one wicket. Suthar claimed two wickets, while Prasidh Krishna remained India’s leading bowler with three wickets.

Sri Lanka’s 216/7 leaves India needing just three more wickets to enforce the follow-on, although the lower-order resistance has given the hosts some breathing space.