Former India pacer Dodda Ganesh has questioned India’s decision to enforce the follow-on against Sri Lanka in the ongoing second Test in Colombo. India posted a commanding 503/9 before declaring late on Day 2, giving themselves a significant advantage in the match. India made an early impact with the ball, reducing Sri Lanka to 8/2 before the close of Day 2. However, the hosts showed considerable resilience on Day 3 and managed to extend their first innings to 265/8 by stumps.
Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 290 early on Day 4, leaving India with a 213-run first-innings lead. With the visitors pushing for a series sweep and valuable points in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, captain Shubman Gill opted to enforce the follow-on rather than bat again.
The decision, however, did not convince Ganesh. The former India pacer believes the relatively modest lead could have created a difficult situation for India if Sri Lanka managed to post a competitive total in their second innings.
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“What if SL bat well and set a target around 180, with 60 overs to bowl. India will feel the heat. I guess enforcing the follow-on was a decision taken with weather in mind. Or else you don’t do it with just over a 200 lead,” Dodda Ganesh wrote on X.
The former pacer’s concern comes against the backdrop of a series that has already been affected by rain. Weather interruptions have disrupted play during the Colombo Test, with further interruptions potentially influencing India’s decision-making. Sri Lanka made a positive start after being asked to follow on. Although opener Lahiru Udara was dismissed for three in the fourth over, the hosts continued to score freely and reached 83/2 by lunch on Day 4.
What if SL bat well and set a target around 180, with 60 overs to bowl. India will feel the heat. I guess enforcing the follow on was a decision taken with weather in mind. Or else you don’t do it with just over 200 lead #SLvIND
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) August 26, 2026
That start has given Sri Lanka renewed hope of forcing India into a challenging fourth-innings chase. If the hosts can build a lead of more than 300, India could face a difficult task on a potentially deteriorating pitch, particularly if rain further reduces the available playing time.
India’s position in the WTC standings makes the result particularly important. The visitors currently sit fifth in the table and have limited opportunities remaining to climb into the top two.
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India had already taken a 1-0 lead in the series after winning the first Test in Galle by 165 runs. A 2-0 series victory in Colombo would provide a significant boost to their WTC qualification hopes. However, with Sri Lanka showing greater resistance in their second innings, India’s decision to enforce the follow-on could remain a major talking point depending on how the final stages of the Test unfold.
