INDvSL: Sri Lanka show spine in 2nd innings with fifties by Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis

The ignominy of the follow-on revived Sri Lanka’s stomach for a fight on Saturday and the beleaguered hosts reached 118 for one at tea in their second knock after a meek first-innings surrender in the second test against India. Dimuth Karunaratne was batting on 55 and Kusal Mendis on 61 at the break with Sri Lanka, still 321 runs behind, facing an uphill task to save the match on a fast-crumbling track.

Upul Tharanga, who made a duck in the first innings, managed two in the second before falling to Umesh Yadav.

Earlier, Ravichandran Ashwin (5-69) claimed his 26th five-wicket haul as he and spin partner Ravindra Jadeja (2-84) helped rout Sri Lanka for 183 on a day three pitch that allowed for prodigious spin, with the ball often kicking up puffs of dust.

Niroshan Dickwella topscored with a desperate 51 as Sri Lanka lost their remaining eight wickets in an extended morning session to find themselves staring at a 439-run first-innings deficit and series loss with a match to spare.

India captain Virat Kohli, who led his team to a crushing 304-run win in the first of the three tests, was rewarded for his superb field placement when avid sweeper Dinesh Chandimal sent …read more