Sonal Dinusha joins elite trio with 80-plus scores in first three Tests vs India
Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha became only the third batsman to post 80 or more in each of his first three Test innings against India, matching legends Zaheer Abbas and Everton Weekes.
In the rain-interrupted second Test at Colombo, Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha posted an unbeaten 85, giving him three successive innings of 80 or more against India—a feat previously achieved only by West Indies great Everton Weekes and Pakistan legend Zaheer Abbas. His earlier knocks of 100 and 84 set the stage for this historic run, making him the first batter since Abbas’s 1978 series to reach such a milestone. Dinusha also joins a short list of Sri Lankan players, alongside Duleep Mendis, who have recorded three 50-plus scores in their first three Test innings versus India.
Notably, Dinusha has excelled against spin, accumulating over a hundred runs through sweep shots, a record pace in the modern era. His partnership of 57 with Keshara Nuwantha for the eighth wicket and an unbeaten 35 with Lahiru Kumara for the ninth helped Sri Lanka recover to 265/8, though they still trailed India’s 503/9. The performance underscores his emerging status as a key figure in Sri Lankan cricket.
Why it matters
Dinusha’s record start highlights a potential new star for Sri Lanka and a rare achievement in Test cricket history.
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