COLOMBO, 25 August, 2026 (Nosheen): Sri Lanka were battling to avoid the follow-on when rain brought an early end to play on the third day of the second Test against India on Tuesday, with the hosts struggling at 265-8. Sri Lanka still need 39 more runs to avoid being asked to bat again, having fallen 238 runs behind India’s first-innings total of 503-9 declared. Only 80.4 of the scheduled 98 overs could be bowled during the day due to persistent rain. India fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel said his team was looking to dismiss Sri Lanka quickly on the fourth day and enforce the follow-on.“With the amount of rain that is around, it takes a lot of time to put the covers on and take covers off,” Morkel told reporters. “So given the lead we have, we want to ask them to follow on and put them under pressure,” he added. Sri Lanka slipped to 173-7 after wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella was dismissed for a third-ball duck. However, Sonal Dinusha resisted India’s bowling attack, adding 57 runs for the eighth wicket with Keshara Nuwantha, who contributed 18 runs. Nuwantha fell shortly after the tea interval, but Dinusha continued to frustrate India alongside fast bowler Lahiru Kumara. The pair added another 35 runs for the ninth wicket, with Kumara spending more than an hour at the crease.Sri Lanka will resume their innings on the fourth day needing 39 runs to avoid the follow-on, while India remain firmly in control of the Test.