NEW DELHI: India moved to the brink of a massive victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka after their bowlers produced a ruthless final session to reduce the hosts to 84 for four at stumps on Tuesday, leaving them 288 runs short of an improbable 372-run target.India had earlier stretched their lead with a counter-attacking second innings, posting 193 after Rishabh Pant’s typically audacious 66, Devdutt Padikkal’s 44 and KL Rahul’s 35 provided crucial runs. With only six wickets standing, Sri Lanka face a daunting final day against an Indian attack that has already made significant inroads.Captain Dhananjaya de Silva was unbeaten on 31 at the close, with Sonal Dinusha, who scored a century in the first innings, on 25. But 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 chased successfully only twice at the ground since 1998.
Suthar, Prasidh rip through Sri Lanka’s top order
Sri Lanka’s chase began after a brief rain interruption, but the hosts looked immediately under pressure. Mohammed Siraj hurried Nishan Fernando into a pull shot, which he failed to control, allowing Prasidh Krishna to take the catch in the deep.Prasidh then struck again to remove Kamindu Mendis. After sending three deliveries into the left-hander, the pacer shaped one away and Mendis edged it to KL Rahul in the cordon.In between those wickets, left-arm spinner Manav Suthar accounted for Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who had replaced Dinesh Chandimal as a concussion substitute. Chandimal had struck his shoulder and head on the ground while fielding earlier in the day. Although his scan showed no injury, he was unable to clear the concussion test.Sooriyabandara’s introduction to Test cricket lasted just one delivery as Suthar trapped him leg before wicket. The spinner later added Lahiru Udara to his tally, leaving Sri Lanka in deep trouble.
Pant’s 66 gives India commanding position
Earlier, Sri Lanka’s bowlers had exploited the conditions well and picked up wickets at regular intervals, but Padikkal and Pant ensured India could establish a sizeable lead.Pant produced another trademark counter-attacking innings, reaching his half-century from just 53 balls. He brought up the landmark with a six off Lahiru Kumara and added 54 runs with Ravindra Jadeja.The six also took Pant to 100 sixes in Test cricket, making him the first Indian and the fastest batter to reach the landmark.Pant’s innings eventually ended when he nicked Kumara behind to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella, but his contribution had already transformed India’s position.Padikkal, who had scored 167 in the first innings, continued his excellent match with a fluent 44. He attacked the spinners with sweeps, cuts and drives before Keshara Nuwantha trapped him on the back foot.India had begun their second innings shakily, with Yashasvi Jaiswal edging Asitha Fernando in the opening over. Rahul then steadied the innings and attacked Prabath Jayasuriya with two sixes before falling to the spinner after a 65-run partnership with Padikkal.Shubman Gill also fell to Jayasuriya, trapped leg before, before Pant and Padikkal helped India build the decisive advantage.
