Indian bowlers failed to break through the Sri Lankan resistance spearheaded by Sonal Dinusha and Pasindu Sooriyabandara in the company of late order batters as the home side finished day three of the second Test on 265 for eight on Tuesday. Sri Lanka still need 38 runs to avoid the follow-on after India amassed 503 for nine in their first innings. Once the hosts resumed from the tea score of 216 for seven, they were staring at an earlier end to the innings.
Because of rain and bad light, dinusha (85 batting) and Lahiru Kumara (8 batting) were at the crease when stumps were drawn early.
But Dinusha notched up his third 50-plus score in as many innings in this series to keep the Indians at bay across two sessions. Starting from eight for two, the home side showed better spirit in the opening passage of the day, which was also spiced up by verbal exchanges between Sarfaraz Khan, substituting for Rishabh Pant, Siraj and the Lankan batters.
