A draw in Colombo tastes like defeat as Sri Lanka damaged India’s WTC final

Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha is congratulated by members of the Indian team at the end of 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: With a handshake looming, Shubman Gill introduced himself to the attack. Judging by their body language, India had already opted out of the game with Sri Lanka leading by over 200 runs with little time left. The result in favor of India was almost out and the visitors were waiting for the formalities to be completed. Yashasvi Jaiswal was introduced from the other end and even Dhruv Jurel rolled his arm when the inscription was on the cards. India would have regretted taking the Test, were in a very good position to win and missed an opportunity to boost their final World Test Cup (WTC) chances.Sometimes draws are like wins and Sri Lanka must have a similar feeling in Colombo. With the chips down and her back against the wall, Sonal Dinusha gave a performance for the ages that had an equally stubborn lower order for the company. He was a rock star for the hosts in this series and made India dance to his tunes as he battled for almost two days to achieve a hard-fought draw. The 25-year-old’s scoring order in the series was 100, 84, 103 and 133* and his compact technique, composure and solid temperament stood out in the four innings.It wasn’t easy; whenever he got to bat, the team was in dire straits and he was mostly down the order and tail for company. In the second Test alone, he spent nearly 147 overs in the middle, faced 71 overs, frustrated the visitors and kept a win out of their reach.It didn’t help that Mohammed Siraj wasn’t running at the pace he would have liked and the pitch offered turn but not enough threat. The pair of Keshar Nuwantha and Dinusha set the tone for over 40 overs and the former ended up playing 150 deliveries. Lahiru Kumara and Asitha Fernando followed the drill and India just kept on hoping things would miraculously fall into place.116 over Sri Lanka’s innings was significant in several ways. Siraj waited patiently to bowl as Sarfaraz Khan suggested fielding changes to Shubman Gill before the fast bowler started. The short ball trap has been sprung. After trying it for two deliveries which Sonal Dinusha dodged safely, the bowler walked up to the stumps and bowled the bails. This was India’s second try, followed by a very creative environment, probably the first of its kind on the day.

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha celebrates his hundred runs on Day 5 of the second Test cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak) (PTI08_27_2026_000287A)

The entire field moved to the offside, putting enough men in catching positions for the errant drive. Dinusha was pushed back for most of the over and here Siraj tried to conjure a fake shot from the most consistent batting of the series. The plan didn’t pan out, but India’s bid to finally make things happen paid off when Prabath Jayasuriya was dismissed in the very next over as he drove against Ravindra Jadeja. India, even after taking two wickets in the first hour after lunch, were still two wickets from the start of their chase, but that 12-ball period summed up the story of what could and should have been for India in the first session.The pitch was flat, the body language was flatter and the tactics the flattest. The open fields and focus on just dismissing Dinusha’s partner not only allowed desperation to creep in but also prevented sustained pressure as easy runs were available meaning the left-hander didn’t have to take any chances. India were once again guilty of going through the motions and the defensive tricks were confusing to say the least when wickets were needed.However, India focused on cutting boundaries, allowing easy singles and even keeping fielders in position for reverse sweeps. In a test match! It was the period when the shoulders began to fall, leaving India head coach Gautam Gambhir with no option but to call captain Gill into the dressing room before the lunch break.The skipper spoke to coach Gambhir and video analyst Hari Prasad Mohan as they struggled in the first session. They took a new ball, tried different combinations, played with the pitch, albeit defensively, but none worked. Despite being in a position of absolute control, India was catching up. However, with the weather gods permitting and the advantage of a first innings cushion, they always had the best chance of securing a favorable result.Across two innings, Sri Lanka’s lower order, apart from the usual suspect Dinus, remained a thorn in the side as they collectively faced 71 overs. This will require a lot of introspection and the team needs to be tactically better for tougher shores in the future. It took India 44.1 overs to get to the bottom in the first innings, but failed to do so in over 90 overs in the second. Runaways were never a question, but the hosts wiped out crucial time from the game in the hope that the dark clouds would save them and help force the best result: a draw.

Colombo: India’s Ravindra Jadeja, left, with coach Gautam Gambhir on Day 5 of the second Test cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak) (PTI08_27_2026_000296B)

The home team fought for a draw – a result that looked extremely unlikely. The weather gave India a fair crack at the opposition, but Sri Lanka’s lower-order resistance not only avoided the limelight, but also dealt a major dent in India’s WTC finals qualification hopes. With just one win, they now have no room to slip up in the remaining seven Tests – two away against New Zealand and five at home against Australia.

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