Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva credited the team’s young players, selectors and coaching staff after his side produced a fighting performance to draw the second Test against India in Colombo on Thursday. Sri Lanka, who were forced to follow on after conceding a 213-run first-innings lead, showed remarkable resilience to finish at 429/9 in their second innings, with Sonal Dinusha’s unbeaten 133 playing a key role in denying India victory. However, India won the two-match Test series 1-0 after the visitors secured a 165-run win in the Galle Test.
“It’s all about finding the talent. After being asked to follow on, Sri Lanka showed tremendous resilience. For India, Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets each in the second innings, but the bowling attack could not claim the final wicket.
Coming to the match, Sri Lanka staged a remarkable comeback to force a draw against India in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Thursday, with Sonal Dinusha playing a match-saving unbeaten knock of 133. Pasindu Sooriyabandara scored 92, while Kamindu Mendis added 55 to help the hosts recover. Dinusha then anchored the innings with a brilliant unbeaten 133, batting for 264 balls to deny India victory. Suthar finished the series as India’s leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets, while Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando topped the hosts’ bowling charts with 10 wickets.
I think the selectors and coach gave me that opportunity to get the youngsters in and let them really go there and do the job for the country,” de Silva said.
