Sonal thrives in tough situations: Kirsten praises SL dough after rough draft

Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten has backed Sonal Dinus to make it big in Test cricket, praising the young batsman for his ability to thrive under pressure after his two hundreds helped Sri Lanka secure a draw against India in Colombo. Dinusha scored a century in both innings at the Sinhalese Sports Club, producing a composed performance that helped Sri Lanka stave off defeat in the second Test.

STANDS UP UNDER PRESSURE

Kirsten said Dinusha’s ability to handle difficult situations stood out for him, especially given the demands of batting in the middle order. “I think batting at six in a team is never easy because you often come under pressure. I’ve seen him really thrive in tough situations,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference.

The Sri Lankan coach recalled how he first noticed Dinus during the team’s tour of the West Indies. “The first time I saw him bat properly was in the first innings in the West Indies,” he said.

2nd test day 5 | Scorecard

“He came on at seven and we were 110 for five and he put on 100 with the captain (Dhananjaya de Silva). I thought, 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.”

The Dinusha twins against India only reinforced that impression, with the young batsman showing the temperament to build long innings when Sri Lanka were under pressure.

While Kirsten was encouraged by the performances of Sri Lanka’s young batsmen, he acknowledged that the team still has some work to do when it comes to closing out Test matches.

“I think not winning Test matches is a problem. We have to figure out ways to get 20 wickets. So it’s definitely a work in progress,” he said.

However, the emergence of Dinus and debutant Pasindu Sooriyabandar gave Kirsten a lot of encouragement.

“I have been really impressed with some of the young batsmen who are new to the Test team who have shown their mettle in Test cricket – especially Sonal Dinusha.

“Then there’s Pasindu Sooriyabandra who is basically on debut. It was nice to see them take the opportunity under pressure and perform. So that’s a really positive thing.”

PADIKKAL, JUREL IMPRESS

Kirsten, who previously coached India, was equally impressed by two of India’s younger batsmen during the series: Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel.

Padikkal, who was later named player of the series, impressed Kirsten with how he adapted to Test cricket despite playing across formats.

“I think Devdutt took his chance. I think he played some great Test cricket. The danger with players who play across all formats is that they bring a white-ball version of cricket to the red-ball game,” Kirsten said.

Kirsten also revealed that he and India head coach Gautam Gambhir often discuss the importance of players developing a strong mindset for Test matches.

“Me and Gautam are both Test purists. So we often talk about it and we want players who can play Test innings. I thought Dev did a great job in both the Test matches, especially those innings in Galle where he didn’t take too many risks.”

Jurel was another Indian batsman who caught Kirsten’s eye, the Sri Lankan coach particularly impressed by his technique against the short ball and his appetite for big goals.

“Another lad who impressed me a lot was Jurel. I think he’s a world-class player. He plays the short ball really well. Great technique and he looks like he wants to score big runs at Test level. So those two were definitely worth it for me,” he added.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

27 Aug 2026 20:28 IST