Kushagra Ojha’s first-innings century and a relentless bowling display have put India Under-19 in complete command of the second Youth Test against Sri Lanka Under-19 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with the hosts needing an improbable 472 runs to win on the final day.
India Under-19 are on the verge of a comprehensive victory in the second Youth Test against Sri Lanka Under-19 after setting the hosts a target of 472 runs following a declaration at 208 for 3 in their second innings on Day 3 in Colombo. Sri Lanka Under-19, who were bowled out for just 148 in reply to India’s first-innings total of 411, ended the third day at 0 for 1 from just 0.4 overs, needing a further 472 runs to win or, more realistically, needing to survive 90 overs on the final day to save the match.
The match has been dominated by India’s batting quality and bowling discipline after a dramatic opening session on Day 1 in which both Indian openers were dismissed without scoring. What followed was one of the most impressive recovery acts in recent Youth Test cricket, powered by a commanding century from Kushagra Ojha and half-centuries from captain Yashbardhan Chauhan and Manal Chauhan.
Day 1: From 0 for 2 to Total Control
The match began in sensational fashion for Sri Lanka Under-19, who won the toss and chose to bowl first at the R Premadasa Stadium. Their decision was rewarded immediately as new-ball bowlers Sethmika Seneviratne and Gimhan Mendis exploited early-morning conditions to remove India’s opening pair of Lakshya Raichandani and Sagar Virk without either player troubling the scorers. At 0 for 2 in six overs, with two leg byes the only runs on the board, India’s tour looked in danger of spiraling into crisis.
But what followed was a batting rescue of the highest order. Captain Yashbardhan Chauhan walked to the crease with his team in turmoil and responded with a counter-attacking 78 off just 89 balls, an innings of intent and composure that shifted the momentum entirely. He found a willing partner in Kushagra Ojha, and together the pair built a 122-run partnership for the third wicket that steadied the ship and allowed India to wrest control from the Sri Lankan bowlers.
When Yashbardhan fell in the 30th over, Manal Chauhan joined Ojha and the pair continued the rebuilding process with an unbroken 131-run stand for the fourth wicket. Only 65 overs of play were possible on the opening day due to interruptions from rain and fading light, but India made every session count, reaching stumps at 253 for 3 with Ojha unbeaten on a superbly compiled 103 and Manal on 55 not out.
Ojha’s century was the innings of the match. The young right-hander batted with a maturity beyond his years, accumulating patiently through the middle overs before accelerating once set. His knock included 10 fours and two sixes across 171 deliveries, the hallmark of a player who understands the rhythm of four-day cricket and has the concentration to bat for extended periods. He would have been the first to acknowledge that he was given a significant head start by Yashbardhan’s aggressive approach, which unsettled the Sri Lankan bowlers and created the platform from which Ojha could build his innings at his own pace.
Day 2: India Pile On 411, Then Rip Through Sri Lanka
Day 2 saw India extend their first-innings total to 411 before being bowled out. While the day-one heroes could not add significantly to their overnight scores, the lower order contributed enough to push the total well beyond par on a pitch that was beginning to show signs of turn and uneven bounce.
Gimhan Mendis was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers across the first innings, finishing with 2 for 42 from 14 overs, while Seneviratne also picked up a wicket after his early breakthrough. But the Sri Lankan attack, which had looked threatening in the first hour of the match, was unable to sustain pressure consistently enough to prevent India from piling up a massive total.
The real damage on Day 2 was inflicted by India’s bowling attack. Sri Lanka’s first innings was a story of sustained collapse. India’s seamers and spinners combined to reduce the hosts to a perilous position, with wickets falling at regular intervals and no Sri Lankan batter able to build a partnership of substance.
Jeganathan Hemchudeshan, the off-spinner who has been one of India’s most impressive performers throughout the tour, bowled with excellent control and claimed crucial wickets to dismantle the Sri Lankan middle order. RA Yadav was equally effective, producing a miserly spell of 3 overs, 2 maidens, 4 runs, and 2 wickets that left Sri Lanka reeling. By stumps on Day 2, Sri Lanka had been reduced to 122 for 8 from 40 overs, trailing India by 289 runs with only two wickets remaining.
Day 3: Sri Lanka Fold, India Declare, Victory in Sight
Sri Lanka’s remaining two batters could add only 26 more runs on the third morning before India wrapped up the first innings for 148, securing a mammoth first-innings lead of 263 runs. It was a disappointing effort from a Sri Lankan batting lineup that had shown far more fight in the drawn first Youth Test in Galle, where they posted 424 for 9 declared and 178 for 6 declared.
Rather than enforce the follow-on, India chose to bat again and extend their lead to an unassailable position. The decision proved wise as the Indian batters used the opportunity to give the top order more time in the middle ahead of future assignments, while also ensuring Sri Lanka would face the psychological burden of chasing an impossible target on a deteriorating Day 4 pitch.
India declared their second innings at 208 for 3, setting Sri Lanka a target of 472 runs for victory. With the pitch at the R Premadasa Stadium offering increasing assistance to the spinners and variable bounce making life difficult for batters, the target is effectively beyond reach. Sri Lanka faced just 0.4 overs before stumps were drawn, reaching 0 for 1 and leaving everything to play for on the final day.
Raichandani: The Series Star Despite a Day 1 Duck
While Ojha’s century was the standout performance of the second Test, the overall series statistics highlight the remarkable consistency of India’s batting unit. Lakshya Raichandani, who fell without scoring in the first innings of this match, remains the series’ highest run-scorer with 307 runs from just three innings at a staggering average of 153.50, built primarily on a monumental performance in the drawn first Youth Test at Galle where India posted 576 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 424 for 9 declared.
Manal Chauhan’s series record of 201 runs at an average of 201.00 from two innings is equally extraordinary, underlining the depth of India’s batting talent. For Sri Lanka, left-hander Senuja Wekunagoda has been the standout performer with 242 runs at 121.00, but his contributions have not been enough to prevent India from establishing a grip on the series.
The Broader Tour Picture
The second Youth Test is the concluding fixture of a comprehensive India Under-19 tour of Sri Lanka that has featured three Youth ODIs and two Youth Tests. Sri Lanka won the Youth ODI series 2-1 in Hambantota, including a dramatic last-ball victory in the third ODI where Chamika Heenatigala’s unbeaten 84 off 68 balls sealed a one-wicket win.
The first Youth Test in Galle was drawn after India’s massive first-innings total of 576 made a result impossible despite Sri Lanka’s strong batting across both innings. The second Test at Colombo, which concludes on Wednesday, is heading toward an India victory that would give the visitors a 1-0 series win in the Youth Test segment.
For Indian cricket’s development pipeline, the performances of Ojha, Raichandani, Manal Chauhan, Yashbardhan, and Hemchudeshan during this tour are significant markers. Several of these players will be in contention for the next U19 World Cup cycle, and their ability to perform in subcontinental conditions against quality opposition suggests India’s conveyor belt of young talent remains firmly intact.
Scores in brief:
India U19 1st innings: 411 all out (Kushagra Ojha 103, Yashbardhan Chauhan 78, Manal Chauhan 55; Gimhan Mendis 2-42)
Sri Lanka U19 1st innings: 148 all out
India U19 2nd innings: 208/3 declared
Sri Lanka U19 2nd innings: 0/1 (0.4 overs; target 472)
Sri Lanka need 472 runs on the final day to win or must survive 90 overs to draw.
CricketVoices will provide the final day’s match report and series summary.
Also Read
- India vs Zimbabwe T20 Squad: Full Details
- VVS Laxman To Coach India in Zimbabwe
- Jacob Bethell Says He Learned the Art of Chasing From Virat Kohli
- England vs India 2nd T20I 2026: Complete Preview
- Ben Stokes Retirement: End of an Era for English Cricket
- Harry Brook Set To Captain England Across All Three Formats
