Cricket
oi-Gaurav Sharma
India registered a stunning 165-run win against Sri Lanka in the first Test match at Galle on Wednesday. The game was set to be drawn as rain threatened to wash out the match.
Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar claimed six wickets in Sri Lanka’s second innings and 10 in total in the match as India posted a thumping win. Suthar played his second Test and registered his maiden 10-wicket haul in 131 balls to register the best possible figures by an Indian spinner in his debut overseas Test.
Chasing 372 in the second innings, Sri Lanka seemed to have a firm grip on the situation as they made 175 for the loss of 6 wickets by lunch on the final day. Sonal Dinusha and Captain Dhananjaya de Silva frustrated India’s bowling attack before a vital breakthrough by Jadeja saw the hosts’ hopes unravel.
De Silva, who had kept the strike for more than three hours, attempted another sweep and was dismissed at short fine leg. Niroshan Dickwella followed four overs later, also dismissed leg before to end any real hope of a Sri Lanka win.
Dinusha remained the only consistent batter as he counterattacked India’s bowling attack. The 34-year-old first-innings century-maker remained steady before Suthar accounted for him in his 128th ball.
Dinusha was dismissed leg before as he attempted to flick the spinner down his leg. It triggered a collapse as Prabath Jayasuriya was the next to fall, lbw to the third ball he faced. Lahiru Kumara escaped with a hat-trick ball but was caught behind three balls later. Suthar got the final wicket, dismissing Keshara Nuwantha to register his six wickets for the innings.
Sri Lanka collapsed spectacularly, posting the last four wickets for 31 runs in 64 balls. Dinusha, the only other batter to make a decent score in the innings, scored 84 in his 128 balls before falling to Suthar.
India posted an emphatic win as they chased down the target with two overs remaining as the rain started to intensify. The visitors scored 462 and 193, whereas, Sri Lanka had managed to post 284 in the first innings. Devdutt Padikkal remained the star performer as he registered 167 and 44 in the two innings and was declared the Player of the Match.
It was a momentous victory for India as they registered their 600th Test win. It also placed Shubman Gill’s men in a commanding position as they take on Sri Lanka in the best-of-two Test series. The second Test is due to commence in Colombo on Sunday.
Gill spoke highly of Suthar, saying that he is a special talent and he can go far in his career. Lokesh Rahul said that the team was aware that the rain was looming, and it was crucial to break the opening stand and expose the tail-enders.
India put in a special performance under pressure and registered the win before the rain washed out the match.
