A Day 3 That Didn’t Move Enough for India

India made steady progress on Day 3 of the Colombo Test, but not enough to take complete control as Sri Lanka’s lower-order resistance kept the visitors waiting for the breakthroughs they wanted. Rain and bad light eventually brought an early end, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already intriguing Test.

Shubman Gill had a busy day as India’s bowling captain. With a new ball available, Prasidh Krishna remained one of his most trusted options. The tall pacer had already impressed in the series and once again showed why Gill has relied on him. After dismissing Lahiru Udara late on Day 2, Prasidh struck early on Day 3 by removing Kamil Mishara.

India also introduced Saransh Jain to Test cricket. The debutant initially struggled to find his rhythm, including a costly no-ball, but gradually settled into an economical spell. His slower pace and ability to generate drift and turn offered Gill a different option alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar. Saransh came close to claiming his maiden Test wicket when an LBW decision was overturned on review.

Sri Lanka, however, refused to collapse. Sonal Dinusha once again showed his confidence against spin, using sweeps, reverse-sweeps and slog-sweeps to disrupt India’s plans. His attacking approach has been a major feature of the series. Pasindu Sooriyabandara was equally impressive, producing a composed 80 from 133 balls with an outstanding control percentage.

Gill increasingly searched for answers as the innings progressed, making frequent field changes and speaking regularly with his bowlers. India eventually claimed six wickets and restricted Sri Lanka to a scoring rate of 3.18, but the repeated partnerships prevented them from completely dominating the contest.

The conditions also played a major role. With clouds gathering, Gill could not use Prasidh when he wanted to because the light had become too poor for pace bowling. Jadeja was brought on instead, but only three deliveries were possible before rain forced the players off.

India remain in a strong position, with the possibility of enforcing the follow-on still alive. Yet Day 3 demonstrated that Test cricket rarely follows a predetermined script. Sri Lanka absorbed pressure, rebuilt repeatedly and ensured India could not simply run through the innings.

For India’s young bowling attack, it was valuable experience in persistence. As bowling coach Morne Morkel put it, it was a proper day of Test cricket — one where the game moved forward, but not quite enough for India to get both hands firmly on the wheel.