India vs Sri Lanka | Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis keep India at bay as SL score 199/3 at tea - Deccan Herald

<p>Colombo: Pasindu Sooriyabandara blocked Indian bowlers for a whole session to make a defiant unbeaten 90, carrying Sri Lanka to 199 for three in their second innings at tea on day four of the second and final Test here on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (4) is giving company to Sooriyabandara at the break, and the home side now trails India by 14 runs.</p>.India vs Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka trail India by 238 runs in second Test.<p>But the highlight of the middle passage was the 115-run alliance for the third wicket with Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis (55, 92b).</p>.<p>The pair fought against India bowlers for 110 minutes, bridging the heavy 213-run innings deficit that forced them to follow-on.</p>.<p>Sri Lanka’s effort in the second innings was a marked improvement from the first dig in which they were bundled out for 290.</p>.<p>That total was constructed around Sonal Dinusha’s 103, his second hundred of the series.</p>.<p>However, the Sooriyabandara-Mendis partnership in the ongoing innings was anything but obdurate. Both the batters played with freedom and were never hesitant to take the attack to the bowlers.</p>.<p>Mendis creamed Manav Suthar for two sixes, and did not allow the left-arm spinner to settle into a consistent rhythm.</p>.<p>Later, Sooriyabandara too slog-swept Suthar for a six as the young tweaker struggled for an impact for the first time in this series.</p>.<p>Mendis reached his fifty with a flourish, pulling Prasidh Krishna for a six off 87 balls and soon Sooriyabandara too joined his teammate with a 78-ball fifty.</p>.<p>However, Prasidh broke the swelling stand with a short-pitched ball which cramped Mendis for room, and Shubman Gill completed a fine running catch to give marching orders to the Lankan batter.</p>.<p>But before that Sri Lanka were wobbling at 83 for two at lunch. Resuming from 265 for eight, Dinusha, who was overnight 85, compiled his second hundred of the series.</p>.India vs Sri Lanka | Yashasvi Jaiswal, Asitha Fernando fined 25% of match fee for heated exchange.<p>But his brave knock did not help Sri Lanka avert the follow-on, getting bowled out for 290, a mere 13 runs shy of the follow-on mark.</p>.<p>Dinusha raced to the 90s with a six, a slog sweep, and four, again whacked to the on-side, off Saransh Jain.</p>.<p>The right-hander reached the coveted three-figure with a thunderous pull off Prasidh, a moment he celebrated with pride and gusto.</p>.<p>But soon his overnight partner Lahiru Kumara departed, lofting Jain to Dhruv Jurel at covers. It was the 34-year-old’s maiden Test wicket.</p>.<p>Jurel restarted the outfield duty as Rishabh Pant, who copped a blow on his shoulder on the second day and stayed away from the field on Tuesday, returned to don the wicketkeeper’s gloves.</p>.India vs Sri Lanka | India declare on 503-9 after Dhruv Jurel's hundred.<p>Dinusha, whose arrival as a Test batter might have warmed the Lankan hearts, did not last long, perishing to Jain.</p>.<p>The Madhya Pradesh spinner induced a false drive from Dinusha, which was pouched by KL Rahul at slip.</p>.<p>However, India had a moment of worry as Siraj hurt himself while diving for a catch.</p>.<p>The pacer had to go out to get medical attention but was back on the field after some time. But in the second session he bowled with a shorter run-up and often Pant too stayed up to the wicket. </p>