After 2 DRS Heartbreaks, India Debutant Helps Enforce Follow-On In 2nd Test vs Sri Lanka
Debutant all-rounder Saransh Jain overcame DRS agony in Colombo before striking twice on Day 4 of the second Test against Sri Lanka, helping India enforce the follow-on on the hosts on Wednesday.
- Debutant Saransh Jain took two wickets on Day 4 of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo
- Jain dismissed Lahiru Kumara for his maiden Test wicket after being denied twice by DRS earlier
- He also took Sonal Dinusha's wicket, ending his resistance on 89 and helping India enforce the follow-on
Debutant all-rounder Saransh Jain overcame DRS agony in Colombo before striking twice on Day 4 of the second Test against Sri Lanka, helping India enforce the follow-on on the hosts on Wednesday. With Sri Lanka resuming at 265/8, Saransh provided the first breakthrough, dismissing Lahiru Kumara for his maiden Test wicket. In the next over, he took the prized wicket of Sonal Dinusha, who scored his second century in as many matches. Dinusha was batting on 89 when Saransh almost had him lbw, only for DRS to delay his maiden wicket.
Incidentally, Saransh was also denied his maiden wicket on Day 3 after a close DRS call.
Saransh's first wicket came in the 86th over when Kumara, having remained stubbornly defensive for much of his innings, attempted to attack the spinner. He lifted a flighted delivery towards the off side, but the ball ballooned off the outer half of the bat and Dhruv Jurel completed an excellent diving catch.
Kumara departed for 12 off 58 balls, having played an important supporting role alongside Dinusha. With only Asitha Fernando left, Dinusha continued to shield his final partner and push Sri Lanka towards the follow-on target. The equation, however, remained heavily in India's favour.
Dinusha finally fell in the 90th over, with Jain producing the classical off-spinner's dismissal. He tossed the ball up, drew Dinusha forward and induced the outside edge, which Rahul held safely at slip. It gave Jain his second wicket of the innings and completed Sri Lanka's resistance. The innings had lasted 89.4 overs, with Sri Lanka bowled out for 290.
The innings was notable less for the overall total than for the manner in which Sri Lanka's lower order refused to surrender. Dinusha's marathon effort, supported by Nuwantha and Kumara, ensured India had to work considerably harder than the position of the match might have suggested. Yet the damage inflicted earlier in the innings ultimately proved decisive. Sri Lanka could not close the substantial gap to India's first-innings score, and their total left them 213 runs short.
(With IANS Inputs)
India Cricket Team
Sri Lanka Cricket Team