BCCI Vice-President Sees Shades Of Sachin Tendulkar In This Sri Lankan Batter
Sonal Dinusha is having a ball in the two-Test series against India with four fifty-plus scores
- Sonal Dinusha scored centuries in both Tests against India and four 50-plus scores in the series
- "Looking like Tendulkar. Can be a wonderful test player in international cricket," BCCI VP Rajeev Shukla wrote
- Indian bowlers struggled against Sri Lanka's lower-order batters throughout the series
Sonal Dinusha is having a ball in the two-Test series against India. In the first Test at Galle, the No. 6 batter scored 100 and 84. Then, in the first innings of the second Test in Colombo, the left-handed batter came in at No. 7 and scored 103. The fine form has continued in the second innings too, as he scored his fourth 50-plus score of the series. He and Keshara Nuwantha stonewalled a flat-looking Indian bowling attack for an entire session to take Sri Lanka to 329 for six at lunch, miraculously keeping the hosts afloat on the fifth day of the second and final Test here on Thursday.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla was mighty impressed with Dinusha. "This Sonal of Sri Lanka is an amazing player. Looking like Tendulkar. Can be a wonderful Test player in international cricket. @OfficialSLC," he posted on X.
This Sonal of Srilanka is an amazing player. Looking like Tendulkar. Can be a wonderful test player in international cricket. @OfficialSLC
— Rajeev Shukla (@ShuklaRajiv) August 27, 2026
Sri Lanka started the day from 229 for six, ahead by a mere 16 runs and ever closer to defeat.
But the gumption of Dinusha, who made a hundred in the first innings, and Nuwantha ensured that the hosts extended their lead to 116 runs.
The Indian bowlers, on the other hand, added one more chapter to their age-old struggles against lower-order batters.
In Sri Lanka's first innings of 290, the last three wickets had batted 45 overs between them while adding 117 runs.
But the numbers tell only half the tale, as Dinusha continued to be a thorn in the flesh, a term used by spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule at the end of the fourth day here.
The little left-hander produced his fourth 50-plus score in as many innings in this series as Indians might just seriously consider writing a calypso for him: 'We Couldn't Out Dinusha.' The 25-year-old reached his fifty in 99 balls with a single off Ravindra Jadeja and celebrated with a smile and his hands pointing towards the heavens.
However, Nuwantha too deserves ample credit for giving his partner confident support throughout the partnership.
The lone chance the Indian bowlers, otherwise a clueless lot on the day, created came towards the fag end of the session when Jadeja managed to ping Nuwantha's pads, but DRS decided that the ball was missing the stumps.
India Cricket Team
Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Sachin Tendulkar