India U19 sniff massive lead in second unofficial Test against Sri Lanka U19

COLOMBO: A collective bowling effort helped India U19 reduce Sri Lanka U19 to 122/8 after piling up a formidable total of 411 all out in their first innings on the second day of their second unofficial Test here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

At the stumps on day two, the home side were trailing India U19 by 289 runs with just two wickets in hand. Lower-order batters Sethmika Seneviratne and Gimhan Mendis, both unbeaten on four, will resume their response on the penultimate day.

The pulsating second day commenced with India U19 resuming their first innings from 253/3 through overnight centurion Kushagra Ojha and Manal Chauhan, who could stretch their overnight partnership to 155 runs until the former got run out in the seventh over after the resumption.

Ojha remained a notable run-getter for the visitors with an anchoring 111 off 193 deliveries, comprising 12 fours and two sixes.

Following his dismissal, Manal took the reins of India U19's batting charge and ensured propelling them past the 400-run barrier with a sensational 150-run knock, during which he smashed 20 fours and a six.

Top-scorer Manal received notable support from No.9 Chigurupati Venkata, who chipped in with a brisk 25 off 33 deliveries.

Mendis was the standout bowler for Sri Lanka U19 in the first innings as he took three wickets for 102 runs in his 25 overs, while Vigneshwaran Akash, Dulnith Sigera and Sethmika Seneviratne bagged two each.

In response to India U19's 411 all out, the home side's batting unit faltered and finished the day in a precarious position as they need to score at least 140 runs to avoid the follow-on.

Middle-order batter Sigera remained the top-scorer for Sri Lanka U19 with a 37-ball 31, followed by Viran Chamuditha, who made 21 off 35 deliveries, while Dimantha Mahavithana (24) has thus far been the only other batter to amass double digits.

For India, Chigurupati Venkata, Rohit Yadav and Pranav Ragavendra have thus far picked up two wickets each, while Kavya Paresh Patel and Jeganathan Hemchudeshan chipped in with one scalp apiece.