1139 minutes! How a defiant Sonal Dinusha denied India a 2-0 series lead

Sonal Dinusha of Sri Lanka plays a shot during the fifth day of the second cricket test match between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (AP) TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: 1139 minutes, 722 balls, 420 runs and three hundreds. Over the past two weeks, Sonal Dinusha has amassed staggering numbers, but his time at the crease will stand the test of time. This was the main reason why Sri Lanka were alive in the fight on Day 5 in Galle and Colombo against India. Before delving into his heroics, it is important to note his entry points in the four innings against India to provide some much-needed context.90/4 and 47/4 in the first Test, followed by 122/4 and 209/4 in the second. While the score sheet makes comfortable reading for the final essay in Colombo, the situation there was most complex. Sri Lanka needed to play for time – a lot of it. Two quick wickets in the next few overs meant the 25-year-old was left with only the bowlers. He had faced a similar situation in previous innings, but the stakes were highest on Days 4 and 5 at SSC, with India desperately needing the remaining wickets to push for a result.Dinusha came up with a plan and stuck to it. He made time his closest ally. Support from the other end along with tactical brilliance meant India toiled for over 86 overs but still couldn’t get the result they wanted. He consumed time, scored runs and literally swept India out of the competition on the final day of the Test. The sweep and reverse-sweep were his two strongest strokes in the innings leading up to the fourth-innings masterclass, but he looked in maximum control when it mattered most.Shubman Gill was aware of the sweeper challenge and covered the area with constant protection from the hit on both sides of the wicket. But it was Dinush’s clever use of footwork that left the visitors clueless throughout the day. Over 40% of his runs in the series fell short, but his control stood out in Colombo. With no brutal bite from the surface and LBW and bowling becoming the least expected ways of dismissals, Dinusha feasted and became only the third batsman ever to score two hundreds in a match his team was asked to follow.

I thought, oh my god, this guy can play. I like the way he plays Test cricket. He thinks about it. He plays to his strengths and is a smart cricketer

Garry Kirsten

When he did it from No. 6, with a tail for company, he also became the fifth batsman overall to achieve the rare feat.Dinusha’s compact game, approach against both spin and pace and stubbornness made him a difficult time against the Indian bowlers throughout the series, making him the best batsman for both teams. The number of innings he has spent batting with the tail should become an ideal template for batsmen operating from No. 6 and below in the format, hence his efforts have drawn a lot of praise from the opposition camp as well.“He (Dinusha) played really well, his defense was solid, he played some really good smash shots. And in this game I don’t think there was half a chance he was going to field,” Gill said, praising the thorn in their side.“We thought we could get him up to pace but there wasn’t enough on the wicket. Someone like Prasidh was consistently bowling 135-140km/h and he was bowling but he was able to defend. So we saw there wasn’t enough pace on the wicket to challenge him again and again,” he added.Gill’s comments carried an undertone of helplessness that remained the order of the day before an early handshake brought down the curtains on India’s hopes of a 2-0 comeback. Add to that the frustration of not being able to wrap up the tail quickly in even one shift. Over 44 overs in the first innings and another 90 plus in the second, Dinusha ensured that India stayed on the park for longer than they would have liked. This story is continued, with minor modifications, by Galle.“I think it’s never easy to bat at six in a team because you often come under pressure. I’ve seen him really thrive in tough situations. The first time I saw him bat properly was in the first innings in the West Indies,” Gary Kirsten said at the post-match press conference.“He came in at seven and we were 110 for five and he put on 100 with the captain (Dhananjaya de Silva).“I thought, my God, this kid can play. I like the way he plays Test cricket. He thinks about it. He plays to the maximum and he is a smart cricketer,” the veteran coach added.There were morning butterflies and jitters in his movements in Galle, but Colombo tasted like a different sauce as he gave nothing away and carried the team with him as only he could. He didn’t give it “half a chance” in Gill’s words, while coach Kirsten was quick to call it one of the “great saves of Sri Lankan Test cricket”.The approach remained uncomplicated, allowing him to become only the second batsman to have four consecutive 80+ scores; Australia’s Simon Katich is the only other batsman to do so in 2017. And when he hit Gill’s first delivery for a six with a handshake formality looming, the left-hander might well have muttered to himself – “keep bowling, I see it as football now”. He really saw it better than any other batter and it was no surprise that he walked away undefeated, undefeated and the biggest pain for Gill & Co.

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