6 days ago
Shubman Gill Hails Sri Lanka’s Fightback After Colombo Test Draw
India and Sri Lanka played a long cricket match called a Test.
India wanted to win the match and sweep the two-game series.
Sri Lanka fought back and managed to draw.
Sonal Dinusha scored 133 runs without being dismissed.
It was his second century in the match.
Sri Lanka kept batting for 154 overs, making it difficult for India to take all ten wickets.
India had already won the first Test, so India won the series 1-0.
Shubman Gill said the match showed that Test cricket had won.
Sri Lanka drew the second Test against India in Colombo on August 27, 2026.
Sonal Dinusha scored an unbeaten 133 in Sri Lanka’s second innings, his second century of the match.
Sri Lanka reached 429/9 after batting for 154 overs, preventing India from completing a win.
India had enforced the follow-on after taking a 213-run first-innings lead, but won the two-Test series 1-0.
Shubman Gill said India did everything possible, while Devdutt Padikkal was named Player of the Series.
- Who
- India, led by Shubman Gill, played Sri Lanka, with Sonal Dinusha leading the hosts’ resistance.
- What
- The second Test ended in a draw, while India won the two-match series 1-0.
- Where
- The Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
- When
- Thursday, August 27, 2026.
- Why
- Sri Lanka batted for 154 overs and reached 429/9, with Sonal Dinusha’s unbeaten 133 preventing India from taking the remaining wickets.
India’s View
Sri Lanka’s View
Meaning of the Draw
India’s View
Shubman Gill said India did everything it could, praised Sri Lanka’s batting and described the result as a match in which Test cricket won.
Sri Lanka’s View
Sri Lanka’s resistance, led by Sonal Dinusha’s second century, denied India victory and was portrayed as a hard-earned result that felt like a win for the hosts.
Follow-On Decision
India’s View
Gill said the decision to enforce the follow-on could be debated only in hindsight, particularly with the weather in mind, and that India made the best decision available at the time.
Sri Lanka’s View
Sri Lanka capitalized on the opportunity by batting for 154 overs and surviving India’s attempt to take all ten second-innings wickets.
Young Talent
India’s View
Gill praised Devdutt Padikkal, KL Rahul, Manav Suthar and Prasidh Krishna, while Padikkal said India’s young group still had substantial work to do.
Sri Lanka’s View
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva credited the selectors and coach for backing young players and described Sonal’s emergence as a positive selection challenge.
Key facts
- Match
- Second Test between Sri Lanka and India
- Result
- Draw
- Series result
- India won the two-match series 1-0
- Sri Lanka’s score
- 429/9 in the second innings
- Sonal Dinusha
- Unbeaten 133 and Player of the Match
- India’s first-innings lead
- 213 runs, after which India enforced the follow-on
- Player of the Series
- Devdutt Padikkal, with 328 runs in three innings at an average of 109.33
- Fielding effort
- Reports quoted Gill as saying India fielded for about 150 overs, while another report stated about 250 overs over three consecutive days.
Quotes
Devdutt Padikkal
India batter and Player of the Series
“I tried to do my best, and play according to the situation. I wanted to get runs for the team, I am really happy that I was able to do that. Getting runs against India is pleasure.”
rediff.com
“Would have been better if we won this game. It was quite similar to be honest, it was slow here as well. It takes a lot of clarity, you need to have clear plans.”
rediff.com
Sources
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