Rain, a Rare Fightback, and an Injured Pant: India's Colombo Test Turns Into a Nail-Biter

What looked like a comfortable Indian win just two days ago has turned into a genuine grind on the final stretch.

India's second Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo reached the end of a dramatic fourth day on Wednesday with the hosts trailing by just 16 runs, having been forced to follow on after India's commanding first-innings total of 503 for 9 declared. Rain cut the day short, leaving the match delicately poised heading into the final session on Thursday.

The story of the day belonged to a relative newcomer. Pasindu Sooriyabandara, playing just his second Test and his first as part of Sri Lanka's regular starting XI, put together a gritty 92 that briefly had Sri Lankan fans dreaming of an improbable escape. He added 58 runs for the second wicket with Kamil Mishara, then combined with Kamindu Mendis for a substantial 115-run partnership for the third wicket — a stand that, for a stretch, genuinely threatened to flip the match's momentum entirely.

India, though, regrouped when it mattered. Once Mendis was dismissed, the Indian bowling attack claimed three more wickets in the final session, dragging Sri Lanka's total back under control at 229 for 6 by the time rain forced an early close. Yash Dayal and spinner Suthar were among those doing the damage — Suthar finished with figures of 3 for 85 in the first innings and continued to chip away in the second.

The match hasn't been without its share of subplots off the field, too. India's wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was seen walking off the pitch during the match, raising questions about a possible injury, while spinner Kuldeep Yadav's mysterious absence from the playing XI — reportedly attributed to a viral illness — has fueled speculation about whether it was simply a case of being dropped from the side.

Weather remains the wildcard heading into the fifth and final day. Colombo has seen rain probabilities hovering between 55% and 75% across the Test, and with India needing just four more wickets to wrap up victory, the second new ball looming, and Sri Lanka still 16 runs adrift, Thursday could bring a genuinely tense finish — assuming the weather cooperates long enough to get a full day's play in.

For India, closing this one out would extend their dominance in the series. For Sri Lanka, Sooriyabandara's fighting innings — even in a losing cause — has already marked him out as a batter worth watching heading into the rest of the tour.

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