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Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned India's approach on the final day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, suggesting that Shubman Gill and his team may have underestimated the hosts after enforcing the follow-on. India had reduced Sri Lanka to 290 in their first innings after declaring at 503/9, but could not complete the job despite needing only four wickets on Day 5.
Sri Lanka produced one of their most determined rearguards in recent years to secure a draw at the Sinhalese Sports Club. Sonal Dinusha remained unbeaten on 133 off 264 balls, while the lower order also consumed valuable time as Sri Lanka reached 429/9 in 154 overs. India eventually had to settle for a 1-0 series win.
Sri Lanka stun India with epic fightback in 2nd Test
India appeared to be heading towards another comprehensive victory after posting 503/9 declared in the first innings. Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel scored centuries, while Sri Lanka were bowled out for 290, leaving India with a 213-run lead.
Shubham Gill then opted to enforce the follow-on, with India needing 10 wickets to win the Test and complete a 2-0 series sweep. The decision initially appeared to have worked as Sri Lanka slipped to 229/6, but Sonal Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha resisted until the close on Day 4.
The final day brought another lengthy battle. Sri Lanka's lower order continued to frustrate India's bowlers, with Dinusha completing his second century of the match. He finished unbeaten on 133, while Keshara Nuwantha scored 46 and Lahiru Kumara made 12.
India kept attacking with their spinners but could not find the final wicket. Sri Lanka eventually reached 429/9, with the two captains agreeing to a draw after the hosts had batted for 154 overs in their second innings.
The result ended India's hopes of a 2-0 sweep. India had won the opening Test in Galle by 165 runs and consequently took the two-match series 1-0.
“I had a feeling that they took it slightly easier” - Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin felt India may have approached the second innings with an expectation that Sri Lanka would collapse quickly. He also questioned the decision to enforce the follow-on after India's bowlers had already spent close to 90 overs in the field.
"I know, I understand, there was threat by the weather a bit. But somewhere I get this feeling that the mentality was like, 'Chalo game khatam karo hum nikal jayenge' (Let's get this game over quick, they will be out and then we will go). Enforcing follow on is out of trend a little bit. Once you bowl 25 overs, your effectiveness will not be that much, a bowler is not a machine, even they get tired," Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
"I had a feeling that they took it slightly easier, because they had bowled almost 90 overs in the first innings as well. So, that is not an ordinary spell. If you had bowled them out for 50-60 overs, then I can understand, but that was not the case. So I feel that India took it lightly. So enforcing the follow on, I don't think it was the right approach," Ravichandran Ashwin added.
“You could see from the body language that they thought Sri Lanka will be bowled out” - Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin further suggested that India's body language indicated they expected the remaining Sri Lankan wickets to fall without too much resistance. He felt India could have considered batting again before asking Sri Lanka to return to the crease.
"I accept that when there is threat of rain you have to take such a decision, but I have a feeling that a conversation might have happened and you could see from the body language that they thought Sri Lanka will be bowled out."
"Even batting for one, or one and a half sessions with a good run rate, bringing them back into the field could have made a difference," Ashwin said.
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