Sri Lanka faced a challenging situation on day three of the second Test against India, struggling to avoid the follow-on as rain interrupted play. The hosts closed the day on 265-8, still trailing by 238 runs after India declared their first innings at 503-9.
Only 80.4 of the 98 overs scheduled for the day were possible due to persistent rain. Despite the weather interruptions, Sri Lanka needed a further 39 runs to avoid the follow-on. India's fast-bowling coach, Morne Morkel, expressed the team's intent to wrap up Sri Lanka's innings quickly on day four and enforce the follow-on.
Morkel highlighted the challenges posed by the rain, stating, 'With the amount of rain that is around, it takes (a) lot of time to put the covers on and take covers off. So given the lead we have, we want to ask them to follow on and put them under pressure.' Sri Lanka's wicketkeeper, Niroshan Dickwella, was dismissed for a duck, reducing the team to 173-7.
However, Sonal Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha added 57 runs for the eighth wicket, providing some resistance. Nuwantha was dismissed after tea, but Dinusha found another ally in Lahiru Kumara, with whom he added 35 runs for the ninth wicket. Dinusha, who scored 100 and 84 in the first Test, ended the day on 85 not out.
Sri Lanka resumed on their overnight score of 8-2 but lost two wickets in the morning session. India continued to make inroads after lunch, picking up another three wickets. Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who replaced Dinesh Chandimal as a concussion substitute, scored 80 but regretted not converting it into a bigger score.
Prasidh Krishna was the pick of India's bowlers, claiming three wickets with his extra bounce troubling the Sri Lankan batters. India currently leads the two-match series 1-0, having won the opening Test in Galle by 165 runs. Sri Lanka's efforts to avoid the follow-on will be crucial as they aim to stay competitive in the series.
