India tighten grip despite stubborn Dinusha knock

Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar were among the wickets as India tightened their grip on the Colombo Test despite a determined Sri Lankan fightback on the third day, with the hosts ending on 265/8 after losing six wickets through the day.

Sri Lanka still trail by 238 runs, with Sonal Dinusha unbeaten on 85 and Lahiru Kumara on 8 off 50 balls when rain and fading light brought the day to an early end.

Krishna strikes with the semi-new ball

Resuming on 8/2, Sri Lanka made a positive start through Kamil Mishara and Pasindu Sooriyabandara, but Prasidh Krishna found some good rhythm with the semi-new ball. He removed Mishara for 19, getting the left-hander to fend awkwardly at a short delivery that climbed into his gloves and lobbed through to Dhruv Jurel.

Sooriyabandara then found an able partner in Kamindu Mendis, and the pair counter-attacked the Indian spinners to add 87. Just as the fourth-wicket partnership began to put pressure on India, skipper Shubman Gill brought Prasidh back into the attack and the paceman struck again before lunch. Mendis pulled a short ball but failed to keep it down, offering Ravindra Jadeja a straightforward catch at mid-wicket for 32.

Maiden Test fifty, then a trio of scalps

Sooriyabandara continued to look assured after the break, bringing up his maiden Test fifty and putting Sri Lanka in a stronger position alongside Dhananjaya de Silva. The captain, however, lasted only 14 balls before Manav Suthar found an edge, with the ball deflecting off Jure's gloves before Rahul completed the catch at slip.

Sooriyabandara then added 34 with Dinusha before Jadeja ended his resistance for 80. The left-arm spinner went hard at the stumps and cramped the opener with a delivery that took a thick inside edge onto his back thigh before rolling back onto the stumps.

Mohammed Siraj provided India with another opening soon after, dismissing Niroshan Dickwella for a duck by strangling him down the leg side with a short delivery that took a faint edge through to Jure.

Dinusha stands alone

At 173/7, Sri Lanka were still 330 runs behind, but Dinusha found support from Keshara Nehru. The pair settled in against the spinners, with Dinusha using his feet and the sweep to good effect while 'Nehru' offered solid defence. Dinusha reached his fifty amid the pair's 57-run stand for the seventh wicket before Suthar finally broke through, tempting her into an ambitious drive that went straight to Saransh Jain at mid-on for 18.

Dinusha remained unbeaten through the final session, reaching 84 and continuing the form that has made him Sri Lanka's most dependable batter in the series. He negotiated both pace and spin with composure and, alongside Kumara, ensured India did not finish the job before bad light and rain called a halt.

India took the second new ball but could not force another breakthrough, with play halted after 83.4 overs.

Brief Scores: India 503/9 dec lead Sri Lanka 265/8 (Sonal Dinusha 85*, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 80; Prasidh Krishna 3-47, Manav Suthar 3-83) by 238 runs