India close in on second Test victory despite Sri Lanka resistance

[p]After being bowled out ‌for 290 in their first innings, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sri-lanka/zahH5UHg/"]Sri Lanka[/a] appeared to be clawing ‌their way back into the match through defiant ‌knocks from Pasindu Sooriyabandara (92) and Kamindu Mendis (55).[/p][p]However, once the pair ‌were separated, Sri Lanka's middle order stuttered again. ‌They finished day four on 229-6, 16 runs ahead, with only four wickets in hand.[/p][p]Sonal Dinusha, who top-scored with a fluent ‌103 in Sri Lanka's first innings, ⁠was unbeaten on seven, ‌with Keshara Nuwantha on three when rain stopped play yet again.[/p][embed guid="cdb70780-388b-49c3-a4ea-a720f97c8852" url="https://x.com/cricinfo/status/2092527936717070358" social-type="twitter" /][p]Earlier, ​debutant spinner Saransh Jain claimed the final two Sri Lankan wickets, prompting [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/india/fcOzl2uI/"]India[/a] captain Shubman ​Gill to enforce the follow-on.[/p][p]Mohammed Siraj removed Lahiru Udara in the fourth over, and Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Kamil ⁠Mishara for 32.[/p][p]Sooriyabandara and ​Mendis, however, launched a counter-attack, scoring freely during a 115-run stand for the third wicket.[/p][p]Sooriyabandara had a slice of luck when a diving Siraj spilled a difficult chance ‌at deep square leg. On another occasion, the ball fell just short of Jadeja before Gill produced a brilliant catch to break the partnership.[/p][embed guid="95334e85-5cd8-4581-b030-a66aed302507" url="https://x.com/cricinfo/status/2092555817153372450" social-type="twitter" /][p]Mendis top-edged a short ball from Prasidh Krishna and Gill, positioned at square leg, first ran backwards and then sideways before diving to hold on to the swirling ball.[/p][p]Sooriyabandara, who made 80 in the first innings of only his second test, ‌looked set for a maiden hundred after successfully reviewing ​an lbw decision that was overturned.[/p][p]But the batter then ‌suffered a momentary lapse in concentration. He danced down the track to a wide delivery from spinner Manav Suthar, only to miss it completely. India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant stretched fully to gather the ⁠ball, but had ample ⁠time to complete a ‌straightforward stumping.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/india-fcOzl2uI/sri-lanka-zahH5UHg/?mid=8b4S3BL5"]Follow the second Test with Flashscore[/a][/b][/p]