It was a Saturday split between Sri Lanka’s collapse in the first half and its aggressive consolidation in the second. Yet, India, ahead by 230 runs and with two days remaining in the contest, should ideally seize this match.
Following-on after a lacklustre first innings (183) inflicted a 439-run deficit, Dinesh Chandimal’s men performed better in the second dig. At close on the third day of the second Test, the host scored 209 for two in its second outing with Kusal Mendis (110, 135b, 17x4) and Dimuth Karunaratne (92 batting, 200b, 12x4)) lending a mighty hand on a surface that remained slow and offered moderate assistance to spin.