23/08Stumps
2nd Test, India tour of Sri Lanka at Colombo, Aug 23-27 2026
Day 2: Sri Lanka trail by 495 runs

Current Run Rate

CRR

2.66

23/08Stumps
2nd Test, India tour of Sri Lanka at Colombo, Aug 23-27 2026
Day 2: Sri Lanka trail by 495 runs

Current Run Rate

CRR

2.66

END OF OVER:
3 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 8/2

  • Kamil Mishara5 (5b)
  • Manav Suthar1-0-6-1
  • Prasidh Krishna1-0-1-1

5.51pm And that's the last action of the day. India are in an utterly dominant position, having declared right after getting to 500 and getting Sri Lanka two down in no time in fading light. This reminds me of India's 3-0 win in their home series against South Africa in 2019. As Faf du Plessis memorably put it: "Every Test match, they bat first, they score 500, they declare when it's dark, they get three wickets when it's dark, and when day three starts, you're under pressure." And Sri Lanka will be under all kinds of pressure when play begins tomorrow. They're two down, and they trail by 495 runs.

What a day for India. Rishabh Pant returned after retiring hurt and scored a highly enterprising and highly entertaining 63. Dhruv Jurel showed his value as a pure batter with a smart, assured second Test hundred. Then these two wickets, one each for Prasidh Krishna and the ever-impressive Manav Suthar. They look well on course for 2-0, but that's still 18 wickets and a lot of hard work away, with weather possibly continuing to play a role. Do join us tomorrow to see how day three pans out. Do note: play will begin 15 minutes early, at 9.45am local time. Until then, goodbye!

Thamizhachi : "Genuinely feel sorry for the dismissed SL batters. Them being absolutely livid is understandable!" -- Yes, but nothing they could do about it. The umpires had light meters, and that's as scientific a method as you could have in these circumstances.

Chinmay Jariwal: "Night watchman's role is to protect the top order batters, which Jayasuriya has clearly done - no complaint for him getting out !!!"

Maulik : "So the play continued only if spinners were to bowl. And then he bowls a fast one. Clever" -- Fast and swinging!

2.6
W
Suthar to Jayasuriya, OUT, that's the most raucous appeal I've heard since the fourth innings of the 1999 Chennai Test, and Ahsan Raza has given it! Prabath has reviewed, however. Another inswinging arm ball, and this one's much fuller than the first one. Prabath looks to get forward and defend, but his front leg comes in the way of his bat. Pad before bat, he's struck in front, and the umpire's doubt must have been whether it's going on to hit leg stump, and ball-tracking returns an umpire's call verdict. Just clipping leg, it says, and Prabath has to walk back. Left-arm spinner done in by a left-arm spinner's sleight of hand

NGRP Jayasuriya lbw b Suthar 2 (7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 28.57

2.5
5
Suthar to Mishara, 5 runs, and he gets off the mark in Test cricket with a five. Has it ever happened before? Tossed up around off stump, whopped with the turn into the leg side, and the square leg fielder throws wildly at the striker's end and concedes four overthrows

Over the wicket to Mishara.

2.4
1
Suthar to Jayasuriya, 1 run, tossed up fuller outside off, defended jabbily into the cover point region
2.3
0
Suthar to Jayasuriya, no run, oooooh, old-fashioned swinging arm ball, and it provokes a massive lbw appeal with Jayasuriya stuck on the back foot and absolutely bamboozled. Looks to punch it away and it sneaks past his inside edge and smacks into his back pad. No bat, but it's swung too much and is missing leg stump almost certainly. Yup, Hawkeye confirms it
2.2
0
Suthar to Jayasuriya, no run, a touch back of a length, spinning away from off stump, goes back and punches into the point region
2.1
0
Suthar to Jayasuriya, no run, tossed up nicely outside off, defended to silly point

The light meter is out. And it looks like India can't bowl pace anymore in this light. On comes Manav Suthar. Left-arm around to Prabath with a slip, a gully, and a silly point.

END OF OVER:
2 | 1 Run 1 Wkt | SL: 2/1

  • Kamil Mishara0 (4b)
  • Prabath Jayasuriya1 (2b)
  • Prasidh Krishna1-0-1-1
  • Mohammed Siraj1-0-1-0
1.6
0
Prasidh Krishna to Mishara, no run, back of a length, angling across to finish close to off stump, defended down into the pitch with soft hands
1.5
0
Prasidh Krishna to Mishara, no run, back of a length around leg stump, defended into the on side

Stays over the wicket to Mishara. Three slips for the left-hander as well.

1.4
1
Prasidh Krishna to Jayasuriya, 1 run, a touch straight now, tucked off the hip to long leg
1.3
0
Prasidh Krishna to Jayasuriya, no run, on the shorter side of a length, seems to straighten around off stump again, defended nicely off the back foot into the off side

In walks Prabath Jayasuriya, the nightwatcher

1.2
W
Prasidh Krishna to Udara, OUT, oh, what a catch that is from Jaiswal!!! And a superb delivery from Prasidh, kicks at Udara and straightens after angling in towards off stump. Has to play, and he can only get a thick edge that Jaiswal grabs one-handed following a full-stretch dive to his right at third slip. Spectacular

Lahiru Udara c Jaiswal b Prasidh Krishna 1 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 16.66

1.1
0
Prasidh Krishna to Udara, no run, back of a length close to off stump, defended into the point region

Here's Prasidh, furious for having been denied a chance to better his Test best score.

END OF OVER:
1 | 1 Run | SL: 1/0

  • Kamil Mishara0 (2b)
  • Lahiru Udara1 (4b)
  • Mohammed Siraj1-0-1-0
0.6
0
Mohammed Siraj to Mishara, no run, and past the edge now! Perfect length again, brings Mishara half-forward to defend. Slants across, and it's threatening the top of the stumps if it swings in so Mishara has to play. Keeps going with the angle - or it's the wobble-seamer that leaves him - and beats the edge of his defensive blade. Yup, wobble seam
0.5
0
Mohammed Siraj to Mishara, no run, gets a testing delivery first up. Good length, angling across, finishing around off stump. Mishara plays for inswing, and looks to play watchfully into the on side. Keeps going with the angle, hits the leading edge, and he's lucky it doesn't carry to gully

Mishara is on strike for the first time in Test cricket. Siraj stays over the wicket to the left-hander. Two slips and a gully for him.

0.4
1
Mohammed Siraj to Udara, 1 run, back of a length, angling into Udara's hip, tucked away neatly to long leg
0.3
0
Mohammed Siraj to Udara, no run, perfect outswinger snaking away after pitching around fourth stump, good length. Good leave from Udara

Here is Siraj once more. Three slips and a gully.

5.33pm The players are back. They are so back.

5.23pm And the covers are coming off again. Cricinfo truly brings you cricket ball by ball, over by over, and cover by cover. Play to restart at 5.35. And we'll aim to complete 70 overs for the day.

Samuel: "Almost certainly missed something but how come Nissanka is not opening for SL? Has he been dropped? Looked the business whenever I've seen him!" -- Nissanka underwent wrist surgery in June, and is still recovering.

Prakhar: "70 overs for the day? 53 India played 3 for innings changeover. How can India bowl remaining 14 overs in 30 mins??" -- Jadeja from both ends.

Ashwin: ""And we'll aim to complete 70 overs for the day." Bless their hearts for thinking we can bowl 35 overs an hour, we are launching a night-shift operation"

Jiten Surtani: "Really ? Ball by ball ? over by over ? cover by cover ? You aren't as perfect as you think you are.... You didn't tell us who scored the goals in the friendly football match." -- It was more of a combination of a rondo and foot-volley than actual football, to be fair.

5.20pm The ground is now about 70% covered, Fidel tells me. India's footballers are occupying some portion of the other 30%. "Rain isn't really falling," Fidel adds. "It just drizzled for a moment and there were dark clouds overhead. Gill is talking to the umpires even now."

5.15pm Some of the India players are still on the field, I now note. They're playing football. Do footballers play cricket during rain breaks?

Anupam: "Never heard about football stopping for rain." -- I am actually aware.

Sri A: "I heard Kevin Pietersen say that he tries to go from 90 to 100 with a 6." -- To be fair he has also advocated for big sixes being worth twice as much.

5.12pm India have left the field now. More of the ground is getting covered. It doesn't seem to be raining, but rain surely can't be far away. The sky contains all the darker shades of grey, and the flags above the stadium clock are fluttering vigorously.

5.10pm Well. The players aren't going off yet. India's players never left the field. The rain seems to have stopped?

Vinay : "Now that Jurel is keeping wickets, will the Cricinfo stats team consider this century as that of a wk-bat or just a pure bat? Mind you, Pant was designated keeper in team sheet." -- But Pant's injury had already happened when Jurel began his innings... This is genuinely confusing.

5.08pm Aaaaand they're off. The groundstaff are dragging the covers on now. I don't know if we'll get any more play today.

0.2
0
Mohammed Siraj to Udara, no run, now goes fuller and attacks the stumps. Some late swing from leg to middle, and Udara is squared up a little while pushing towards mid-off
0.1
0
Mohammed Siraj to Udara, no run, good-length outswinger, starts a touch too wide and Udara can leave comfortably

5.06pm Okay then. Here come Lahiru Udara and the debutant Kamil Mishara. The light is fading, the ball is new, Sri Lanka are staring at a total of 503. Mohammed Siraj has the new ball. Three slips and a gully, and Jurel has the keeping gloves.

5.05pm It's getting quite overcast in Colombo. Not sure if we'll get all the way to 6pm, even if it doesn't rain. Either way, it's going to be a tricky period for Sri Lanka's top order. They'll have tired legs, India's bowlers will be fresh, and they'll have a new ball and know they can go full-tilt before getting an overnight rest. And there's the small matter of being 503 runs behind.

Akshay: "@Chinmay I know you were being sarcastic, but now I'm really upset." -- Imagine how fired-up Prasidh will be!

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