Pant, Jurel fifties power India to 419/6 against Sri Lanka in 2nd Test
Synopsis
Rishabh Pant returned from a wrist injury to smash a defiant 63 not out — including a six that reportedly damaged a solar panel — while Dhruv Jurel contributed a rock-solid 59 not out as the pair added an unbroken 112 for the seventh wicket, pushing India to 419/6 at lunch on Day 2 in Colombo. Sri Lanka, who had briefly wrestled momentum with an early wicket, were left without answers.
Key Takeaways
India reached 419/6 in 112 overs at lunch on Day 2 of the second Test in Colombo .
Rishabh Pant is unbeaten on 63 off 88 balls , recording his 21st Test fifty after returning from a left wrist injury .
Dhruv Jurel is not out on 59 off 107 balls — his third half-century in Test cricket.
The pair have put on an unbroken 112-run seventh-wicket stand .
Devdutt Padikkal earlier scored 117 ; Asitha Fernando took 4 for 60 for Sri Lanka.
Pant hit a six off Lahiru Kumara that reportedly cleared the stadium roof and damaged a solar panel .
Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel struck commanding half-centuries in an unbroken 112-run seventh-wicket stand to steer India to 419/6 at lunch on Day 2 of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo. The partnership wrestled the initiative firmly back to India after a testing morning session on 24 August.
Scorecard at Lunch
At the break, Pant was unbeaten on 63 off 88 balls, while Jurel stood firm on 59 not out off 107 balls. India had batted 112 overs in total, with Devdutt Padikkal's 117 earlier anchoring the innings. Asitha Fernando was Sri Lanka's most threatening bowler, finishing with 4 for 60.
Pant's Dramatic Return
The session's defining subplot was Pant, who had retired hurt on 3 after taking a blow to his left wrist. He returned to the crease and immediately resumed his attacking brand of cricket — paddle sweeps, decisive footwork, and edges rolling along the ground kept the scoreboard ticking. Notably, he also absorbed two painful blows to his right shoulder from Lahiru Kumara and Fernando, both of which required medical attention on the field.
The most spectacular moment of the session came when a short ball down leg from Kumara was pulled by Pant clean over the stadium roof, reportedly damaging a solar panel and forcing the umpires to seek a replacement ball.
Sri Lanka's Struggles
Sri Lanka had drawn first blood with the second new ball, when Fernando surprised debutant Saransh Jain with a sharp bouncer from round the wicket — the leading edge was safely pouched at gully. That early wicket brought Pant to the crease, and the hosts immediately tested him with a barrage of short-pitched deliveries.
Sri Lanka turned to their spin duo of Prabath Jayasuriya and Keshara Nuwantha ahead of lunch, but consistency proved elusive. Jurel, pristine in his drives and flicks, punished the spinners with the pull shot, repeatedly finding the boundary rope.
Milestones and Partnership
Pant brought up his 21st Test fifty with a pull to square leg, while Jurel reached his third half-century in Tests with a pull through mid-wicket. The pair then raised a 100-run partnership — crossing the milestone before the break — to put India firmly in the driver's seat heading into the afternoon session.
With a sizeable lead in the making and two set batters at the crease, Sri Lanka will need early wickets after lunch to claw back into the contest.
Point of View
But the signal it sent to Sri Lanka. India have now built a platform that, barring a dramatic collapse, should translate into a commanding first-innings lead. What stands out is Jurel's growing authority at number seven: three Test fifties in relatively few innings suggests India have solved a structural lower-order problem that plagued them for years. Sri Lanka's pace attack did everything right — they tested Pant with bouncers and hit him twice — yet still conceded a century partnership. That gap between effort and outcome is the hosts' real concern heading into the afternoon.
NationPress
24 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is India's score at lunch on Day 2 of the 2nd Test against Sri Lanka?
India reached 419 for 6 in 112 overs at the lunch break on Day 2 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Rishabh Pant (63 not out) and Dhruv Jurel (59 not out) were at the crease, sharing an unbroken 112-run seventh-wicket stand.
How did Rishabh Pant perform after returning from injury?
Pant, who had retired hurt on 3 after a blow to his left wrist, returned and scored 63 not out off 88 balls, bringing up his 21st Test fifty. He also took two blows to his right shoulder during the session but continued batting.
What is Dhruv Jurel's score in the 2nd Test against Sri Lanka?
Dhruv Jurel is unbeaten on 59 off 107 balls, marking his third half-century in Test cricket. He was particularly effective against spin, using the pull shot to keep the scoring rate moving.
Who took the most wickets for Sri Lanka on Day 2?
Asitha Fernando was Sri Lanka's standout bowler, finishing with 4 for 60. He also claimed the wicket of debutant Saransh Jain early in the morning session with a sharp bouncer from round the wicket.
What happened with the solar panel during the match?
Rishabh Pant hit a pull shot off Lahiru Kumara that cleared the stadium roof at the Sinhalese Sports Club and reportedly damaged a solar panel on the roof, forcing the umpires to call for a replacement ball.
