Galle: India moved to the brink of victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka as their bowling unit produced a dominant final session, reducing the hosts to 84 for 4 at stumps in their second innings and leaving them 288 runs short of the daunting 372-run target. Earlier in the day, India added another 193 runs in 48.5 overs before being bowled out in their second innings, setting Sri Lanka a massive target of 372 runs to chase on Day 4, Tuesday, 18 August, at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.
India began Day 4 with a substantial first-innings lead of 178 runs and produced another counterattacking performance in their second innings. Rishabh Pant led the charge with an aggressive 66 off 69 balls, while crucial contributions came from Devdutt Padikkal, who scored 44 off 75 balls, and KL Rahul, who added 35. India were eventually bowled out for 193 in their second innings, setting Sri Lanka a daunting target of 372 runs. Under immense pressure, Sri Lanka began their final chase, but India’s bowling unit responded with a dominant display, reducing the hosts to 84 for 4 at stumps. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva remained unbeaten on 31, while Sonal Dinusha was also unbeaten on 25. Sri Lanka now require another 288 runs on the final day, with six wickets remaining.
The day began with India holding a commanding first-innings lead, but they suffered an early setback after starting their second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal edged Asitha Fernando and was dismissed for a duck off the third delivery of the innings. KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal then steadied the innings, putting together a valuable 65-run partnership for the second wicket. Rahul played a confident and attacking knock, hitting two sixes off Prabath Jayasuriya before falling to the spinner after scoring 35 off 47 balls. His dismissal brought the partnership to an end. Following the wickets, captain Shubman Gill also departed after being trapped lbw by Jayasuriya, managing just 8 runs. Sri Lanka’s bowlers continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals, but Rishabh Pant led the batting effort, alongside Devdutt Padikkal, took charge of the innings to keep India’s batting momentum going. Rishabh Pant produced a brilliant counterattacking knock, reaching his half-century in just 53 balls. He brought up the milestone with a massive six off Lahiru Kumara. With that towering six, the wicketkeeper-batter created history by becoming the first Indian cricketer to smash 100 sixes in Test cricket. The six also marked Pant’s 20th Test fifty. He became only the fourth batter in Test history to hit 100 sixes. Ben Stokes leads the list with 138 sixes, followed by Brendon McCullum with 107. Pant is now level with former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist on 100 sixes. Devdutt Padikkal, who had scored a magnificent 167 in the first innings, continued his excellent performance and added a fluent 44 off 75 balls before Keshara Nuwantha trapped him lbw.
Pant and Ravindra Jadeja then added 54 runs to the partnership. Pant’s aggressive innings eventually came to an end when he attempted a big shot against Lahiru Kumara. The ball went behind the wicket and was caught by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella. Pant scored a crucial and outstanding 66 off 69 balls, including eight fours and two sixes.
Pant’s pivotal innings gave India a strong position in the second innings and helped accelerate the scoring rate, providing the team with a solid foundation for a substantial total. However, the rest of the batting order failed to make a significant impact as India were eventually bowled out for 193 in 48.5 overs, setting Sri Lanka a mammoth target of 372. Asitha Fernando delivered an impressive spell of 4 for 31 in 8.5 overs, while Prabath Jayasuriya also made a valuable contribution, claiming three wickets for 43 runs in 11 overs. Pant’s aggressive knock gave India a significant advantage and put them firmly in control of the second innings.
Sri Lanka’s chase of 372 began after a brief rain interruption. Under immense pressure, the hosts endured a shattering start as Mohammed Siraj provided the first breakthrough in the seventh over. Nishan Madushka attempted to hit a pull shot for six but failed to make proper contact, allowing Prasidh Krishna to take a well-judged catch in the deep. Madushka was dismissed for 6 off 27 balls. The second wicket soon followed as Manav Suthar trapped debutant Pasindu Sooriyabandara lbw for a first-ball duck. Sooriyabandara had replaced Dinesh Chandimal as a concussion substitute after Chandimal struck his shoulder and head on the ground while fielding earlier in the day. Although his scan showed no injury, Chandimal was unable to clear the concussion test. Sri Lanka were reduced to 14 for 2. Prasidh Krishna dismissed Kamindu Mendis for 2 off 12 balls. Mendis edged the delivery to KL Rahul, who completed the catch, piling further pressure on Sri Lanka. Suthar claimed another wicket by dismissing Lahiru Udara for 16, with Dhruv Jurel taking a sharp low catch in the 22nd over. With that wicket, Sri Lanka found themselves in deep trouble at 47 for 4. After the early collapse, captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha steadied the innings and prevented any further damage before stumps. The pair put together an unbeaten 37-run partnership for the fifth wicket, providing Sri Lanka with some much-needed stability. Dhananjaya remained unbeaten on 31 off 73 balls, while Dinusha, who had scored a century in the first innings, stayed unbeaten on 25 off 36 balls. Their resistance ensured that Sri Lanka reached stumps without losing another wicket at 84 for 4. However, they still need 288 runs on the final day of the first Test, with only six wickets remaining.
India will aim to take the remaining six wickets and bring the first Test to a strong finish with a significant margin of victory. Sri Lanka, under immense pressure, will look to withstand India’s attack and keep their hopes of a successful chase alive. However, the scale of the task facing Sri Lanka is reflected by Galle’s history. The highest successful fourth-innings chase at the venue is Pakistan’s 344 in 2022, while a target above 200 has been successfully chased only twice at the ground since 1998.
