Gambhir hails Sonal Dinusha after India's 1-0 Sri Lanka Test series win
Synopsis
India won the series, but Sri Lanka's Sonal Dinusha stole the narrative. His unbeaten 133 in Colombo — capping a 420-run, three-century series from number six — denied India a clean sweep and earned a public salute from opposing coach Gautam Gambhir. It is the kind of lower-order defiance that rewrites careers and, occasionally, series histories.
Key Takeaways
Gautam Gambhir posted a tribute to Sonal Dinusha on X on 28 August , calling his performance 'exceptional'.
India won the two-match Test series 1-0 , having beaten Sri Lanka at Galle by 165 runs ; the second Test in Colombo ended in a draw.
Dinusha scored 420 runs in four innings — including centuries of 100, 103 , and an unbeaten 133 — batting at number six .
He became the fifth cricketer and fourth Sri Lankan to register twin hundreds in a Test while batting at six or lower.
His 112-run seventh-wicket stand with Keshara Nuwantha was key to Sri Lanka's draw in the second Test.
The draw cost India full World Test Championship (WTC) points from the Colombo fixture.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Friday, 28 August publicly praised Sri Lanka batter Sonal Dinusha for a record-breaking, match-saving performance in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground, Colombo, even as India sealed the two-match series 1-0. Gambhir's tribute came via a post on his X account, underscoring the rare occasion when a visiting coach salutes the opposition for denying his side a clean sweep.
Gambhir's Post and What He Said
'Test cricket needs character, patience and mental toughness that's shown by our boys! Special shoutout to Sonal Dinusha for his exceptional performance!' Gambhir wrote on X. The acknowledgement is notable: India had the second Test well within their grasp before Dinusha's defiance forced a draw on Thursday, costing the visitors full World Test Championship (WTC) points.
Dinusha's Historic Series with the Bat
The left-handed Dinusha, batting at number six, accumulated 420 runs across four innings — a historic haul for a batter in that position across a two-Test series. He posted 100 and 84 in the first Test at Galle International Stadium, followed by 103 in Sri Lanka's first innings in Colombo. When Sri Lanka were made to follow on in the second Test and found themselves in deep trouble, Dinusha produced an undefeated 133 off 264 balls to guide the hosts to a hard-fought draw.
His partnership of 112 runs for the seventh wicket with Keshara Nuwantha was central to Sri Lanka's survival. The draw denied India a series whitewash but could not alter the series result, with India having won the opener at Galle by 165 runs.
Records Broken and Milestones Reached
Dinusha's series placed him in rare company across cricket history. He became the fifth cricketer — and the fourth from Sri Lanka — to register twin hundreds in a Test match while batting at number six or lower. He also joined an elite list as the eighth Sri Lanka batter to score centuries in both innings of a Test, following Aravinda de Silva (twice), Kumar Sangakkara (twice), Duleep Mendis, Asanka Gurusinha, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Kamindu Mendis.
His tally of three centuries in a two-game Test series made him the eighth batter overall to achieve that feat — joint-most for any men's batter — and only the third Sri Lankan to do so, after de Silva (twice) and Sangakkara.
India's Series Win and WTC Implications
Despite the second-Test draw, India's series victory keeps their WTC campaign on track, though the missed full points in Colombo could prove significant in the final standings. The win in Galle, built on strong bowling and batting depth, reflected the character Gambhir referenced in his post. Notably, Dinusha's resistance also highlighted a recurring theme in Test cricket: lower-order and middle-order batters increasingly deciding outcomes when top orders falter.
With the series concluded, both sides will now turn their attention to upcoming fixtures on the international calendar, while Dinusha's breakout performance is likely to reshape Sri Lanka's batting plans going forward.
Point of View
Dinusha's emergence is the clearest positive from a series they lost; for India, the inability to finish off a tail-ender-led resistance in Colombo is a question the coaching staff will need to answer before the next WTC cycle tightens.
NationPress
28 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Gautam Gambhir praise Sonal Dinusha?
Gambhir praised Dinusha in an X post on 28 August, calling his series performance 'exceptional' after the Sri Lanka batter scored 420 runs — including three centuries — to save the second Test in Colombo and deny India a series sweep.
What records did Sonal Dinusha set in the India-Sri Lanka Test series?
Dinusha became the fifth cricketer and fourth Sri Lankan to score twin hundreds in a Test while batting at number six or lower. He is also only the third Sri Lankan to hit three centuries in a two-game Test series, after Aravinda de Silva and Kumar Sangakkara.
What was the result of the India vs Sri Lanka Test series?
India won the two-match series 1-0. They beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test at Galle; the second Test at the SSC Ground in Colombo ended in a draw after Dinusha's unbeaten 133 saved the hosts.
How did the second Test draw affect India's WTC campaign?
The draw meant India did not collect full World Test Championship points from the Colombo Test, which could have implications for their final WTC standings depending on other results in the cycle.
Who did Sonal Dinusha partner to save the second Test?
Dinusha put on a 112-run seventh-wicket partnership with Keshara Nuwantha, which was central to Sri Lanka's survival after being made to follow on in the Colombo Test.
