IND vs SL: In the second Test match being played between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lankan young batsman Sonal Dinusha batted brilliantly and scored a century for the second consecutive Test. His innings of 103 runs played an important role in getting Sri Lanka out of trouble. However, despite this innings of Dinusha, Sri Lanka was all out for 290 runs in response to India's declared innings of 503/9 in the first innings and India followed on.
Dinusha faced 162 balls and scored 103 runs, which included eight fours and three sixes. After the first Test, he continued his excellent form against India by scoring a century in the second match as well. He scored 100 runs in the first innings of the first Test played in Galle, while he played a useful innings of 84 runs in the second innings. After this, by scoring 103 runs in Colombo, he achieved the feat of scoring centuries in two consecutive Tests against India.
Two centuries in two tests for Sri Lanka after 44 years
Dinusha has become only the second Sri Lankan batsman to score two centuries in his first two Test matches against India. Before him, Dilip Mendis had scored centuries in his first two Tests against India in 1982. In this sense, Dinusha has repeated this achievement in the history of Sri Lankan cricket after almost 44 years.
However, the claim that Dinusha has scored three centuries in his first two Test matches against India is not true. His scores so far are 100, 84 and 103. That means he has two centuries in his name in three innings. Therefore, it would be factually correct to write 'two centuries' instead of 'three centuries' in the news.
Record made even while batting at number-6 or below
Another special thing about Dinusha's century is his batting position. He scored 100 runs while batting at number-6 in the Galle Test, whereas in the Colombo Test he came at number-7 and played an inning of 103 runs.
In this way, he has become the first Sri Lankan batsman to score more than one Test century while batting at number-6 or below against India. This achievement reflects his batting ability and his importance to the team in the lower order.
Excellent performance in four consecutive innings against India
Dinusha's consistency in the current series has also been very special. He scored more than 50 consecutively in his first four Test innings against India. His scores were 100, 84, 103 and reached half-century in the next innings respectively. In this way, he has joined the list of select batsmen who have played big innings consecutively in the opening Test innings against India.
Earlier, names like Everton Weekes and Zaheer Abbas have been among the great batsmen who have shown such consistency in the opening innings against India in Test cricket. Dinusha has created a new confidence for Sri Lanka with his batting.
Could not avoid follow on despite century
Dinusha's inning of 103 runs was very important for Sri Lanka, but he could not save the team from follow-on. India declared its first innings at 503/9. In reply, Sri Lanka's first innings was reduced to 290 runs. In this way India got a lead of 213 runs and the captain called Sri Lanka to bat again.
Apart from Dinusha, Pasindu Sooriyabandarara played an important inning of 80 runs for Sri Lanka. For India, Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar took three wickets each, while debutant Saransh Jain also got his first Test wicket by dismissing Dinusha.
Dinusha's innings in the current series against India
- Galle Test, 1st innings: 100 runs
- Galle Test, 2nd innings: 84 runs
- Colombo Test, 1st innings: 103 runs
Overall, Sonal Dinusha has emerged as the strongest side of Sri Lanka's batting in this Test series against India, scoring 287 runs in the first three innings at the time of writing (tea break). His consecutive big innings may not have given Sri Lanka a decisive lead in the match yet, but he has demonstrated his technique, patience and aggression brilliantly against the Indian bowling, pushing the match towards a draw.