The final minutes of Day 2 during the second Test between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo turned highly controversial as the hosts repeatedly expressed dissent.
Following India's first-innings declaration at a massive 503/9, Sri Lanka walked out to bat late in the day under gloomy conditions. On-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Sharfuddoula Saikat took light readings but deemed the conditions fit to continue, under the condition that India exclusively bowl spinners.
Sri Lankan batters Kamil Mishara and Prabath Jayasuriya were visibly furious, continuously arguing with the officials about the fading light.
Amid the tension, Indian skipper Shubman Gill brought left-arm spinner Manav Suthar into the attack. On the final ball of the day, Suthar trapped Jayasuriya right in front of the stumps for just 2 runs.
Following the wicket, the umpires immediately called stumps for bad light. A disgruntled Jayasuriya glared back at the umpires and angrily threw away his gloves inside the dressing room. Sri Lanka ended the chaotic day in a deep hole at 8/2, trailing India by a massive 495 runs.
Speaking on-air for the Sony Sports Network, former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar did not pull any punches regarding Sri Lankan players' conduct. He heavily criticized the home team for an “unprofessional” display and for entirely "losing the plot" by letting their focus slip over the umpiring back-and-forth.
“I see that as being slightly unprofessional. I know you want to nudge the umpire, saying it's bad light, but you can't take your eye off the ball. I thought the bad-light situation and their angst with the umpire consumed their minds, and they weren't focusing on the ball because the light was never that bad. We know the light is never so bad that you can't see the ball. It's just that there is a certain amount of darkness that is considered bad light, and it's offered to the batter,” Manjrekar said.
Manjrekar praised Suthar for keeping his composure and securing the crucial breakthrough right at the stroke of stumps.
“Then maybe Sri Lanka had a point that it was bad light enough, but that doesn't condone the mistake that they made now. You can't blame a night watcher for getting out. That was a great delivery from Suthar, in a nice variation and a superb delivery from process at the finish as well,” he added.
Team India stood their ground on the field during a rain interruption, subtly pressuring the umpires to resume play quickly.
Manjrekar noted that India's status as heavyweights in world cricket allowed them to influence the officials by demonstrating their readiness to play.
“So credit goes to India for making that happen. Unfortunate for Sri Lanka, we'll have a look at Prabath. India will take that. India also played a very good part when the covers were being put on," Manjrekar stated.
"They stood on the field. Putting pressure on the umpire, saying that we believe play could start and all these little things. They're heavyweights now in world cricket. If the Indian team just stood there believing that a game could start, and we felt the light was good enough. That puts a certain amount of pressure on the umpires,” he remarked.
Earlier, Devdutt Padikkal (117) and Dhruv Jurel (115*) smashed centuries to push India’s first innings score in excess of 500 runs. Rishabh Pant (63) and Shubman Gill (50) returned with half-centuries. Asitha Fernando was the pick of the bowlers for Sri Lanka, claiming four wickets.
