Former India batter Wasim Jaffer has slammed the Shubman Gill-led side for being complacent after Sri Lanka rescued a famous draw in the second Test in Colombo on Thursday. India needed just four wickets on the final day, with Sri Lanka ahead by 16 runs after following on. However, Sonal Dinusha’s second century of the match and gutsy contributions from Keshara Nuwantha and Lahiru Kumara ensured Sri Lanka batted through the entire day as the two captains shook hands on a draw.
Dinusha, who scored 103 in the first innings, finished unbeaten on 133 in the second as Sri Lanka declared at 429/9.
Speaking after the match, Jaffer suggested that complacency may have cost India victory in the Colombo Test.
“I felt there might have been complacency as they needed to take just four wickets. Things got harder and harder, and you end up giving more runs while trying different things. Probably that was the case. The defensive field set surprised me. We went to a defensive field set very early,” Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.
Jaffer also said that the Indian players seemed a bit low on energy and were hoping the wickets would fall.
“Somewhere I felt India were a little low on energy at the start of the day. They thought that they would get out, rather than having the attitude that we will have to dismiss them. By the time the Indian team woke up, I think they were set, and things were going in their favor,” he added.
During the follow-on, India had SL down for 218/6, but a 112-run stand between Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha (46 in 150 balls, with four boundaries) pushed Sri Lanka towards a sizeable lead.
Dinusha (133* in 264 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) reached his third ton of the series, with the resistance from lower order, who soaked in deliveries to support him. SL ended at 429/9, drawing the Test.
(With ANI Inputs)
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