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Dhruv Jurel’s unbeaten 115 carried India to 503 for 9 declared on the second day of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club, building on Devdutt Padikkal’s century the previous afternoon. Sri Lanka then lost two wickets in a testing final session to close on 8 for 2, trailing by 495. India lead the two-match series 1-0.
Colombo, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka lost the toss on Sunday morning and were sent out to field on a hot and humid day. By Monday evening they came off the same ground 495 runs behind with two wickets already gone.
Devdutt Padikkal set it up. His 117 on the opening day was a century in his second consecutive Test, coming across three separate partnerships — the largest 120 with captain Shubman Gill, who made 50, and 74 with Ravindra Jadeja. India had wobbled to 88 for 2 after KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal both fell having got started, and closed day one on 300 for 5 with debutant Saransh Jain, sent in as nightwatchman, on 4 alongside Jurel on 7.
Pant Comes Back, Jurel Goes On
Jain was the first wicket to fall on Monday, and from there the innings belonged to two men.
Rishabh Pant, who had retired hurt on the opening day, returned to make 63 from 89 balls. He and Jurel added 113 for the seventh wicket, and by the time Pant departed the target of 500 was within reach.
Jurel got them there. His 115 not out came from 177 balls with nine fours and two sixes — a second Test hundred after his maiden century against West Indies at Ahmedabad last year, and an innings of considerable patience on a surface expected to take turn early.
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The 500 was raised by Prasidh Krishna, who put away a low full toss from Asitha Fernando through cover. Mohammed Siraj fell lbw shortly afterwards, swinging across a full, straight ball and reviewing without hope — Hawk-Eye returned three reds. Gill declared on 503 for 9.
Asitha finished with 4 for 106, one wicket short of a five-for and Sri Lanka’s most successful bowler. Rain had interrupted proceedings earlier in the afternoon, heavy enough to cover most of the ground.
A Tricky Twenty Minutes
Sri Lanka faced the worst possible period: fading light, a new ball, tired legs and fresh Indian bowlers who knew they could attack.
Siraj took the new ball with three slips and a gully, and with Jurel keeping wicket in place of Pant. It was Prasidh and Manav Suthar who struck. Prasidh removed opener Lahiru Udara for 1, and Suthar accounted for Prabath Jayasuriya — sent in as nightwatchman — for 2. Prasidh’s figures read 1 for 1, Suthar’s 1 for 6.
Debutant Kamil Mishara was unbeaten on 5 when the umpires called time under an overcast sky.
Where It Leaves the Series
India lead 1-0 after winning at Galle by 165 runs, a match in which Suthar took ten wickets. A draw here would seal the series, and after two days they have a 495-run cushion with eight Sri Lankan wickets to take and three days to take them.
The SSC surface usually begins to turn early, and it is drier than Galle was — where Sri Lanka managed 284 and 206.
Stumps, Day 2: India 503/9 declared (Dhruv Jurel 115*, Devdutt Padikkal 117, Rishabh Pant 63, Shubman Gill 50; Asitha Fernando 4-106)
Sri Lanka 8/2 (Lahiru Udara 1, Prabath Jayasuriya 2; Kamil Mishara 5*) — Prasidh Krishna 1-1, Manav Suthar 1-6
Sri Lanka trail by 495 runs
Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
