GALLE, Sri Lanka — India seized a commanding position on Day 3 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle after Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja combined for seven wickets to bowl the hosts out for 284. Sri Lanka’s first innings ended 178 runs behind India’s 462, despite a maiden Test century from Sonal Dinusha.
- India lead by 178 runs after Sri Lanka were dismissed for 284 in 79.4 overs.
- Manav Suthar claimed 4/76 on his Test debut, including a wicket with his first delivery.
- Ravindra Jadeja took 3/57 as India’s spinners controlled much of the innings.
- Sonal Dinusha scored 100, while Niroshan Dickwella made 80 during a 146-run sixth-wicket stand.
India take 178-run lead as Sri Lanka bowled out for 284
Sri Lanka began their first innings with India holding a massive total of 462, but the home side quickly found itself under pressure. Mohammed Siraj removed Nishan Madushka Fernando for a duck in the opening over before Suthar made an immediate impact.
The left-arm spinner struck with his very first delivery to dismiss Dinesh Chandimal. His sharp turn and bounce continued to trouble Sri Lanka’s batters, and he soon removed Lahiru Udara Igalagamage to leave the hosts struggling at 53 for 3.
Manav Suthar makes instant impact on Test debut
Suthar finished with four wickets for 76 runs from 21.4 overs. His figures represented the best return among India’s bowlers as he repeatedly extracted turn and bounce from the Galle surface.
His fourth wicket came at the end of the innings when Lahiru Kumara charged down the pitch but missed the ball completely. Rishabh Pant completed the stumping to seal Sri Lanka’s innings at 284.
| India Bowling | O | M | R | W | ECON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Siraj | 9 | 3 | 29 | 1 | 3.22 |
| Prasidh Krishna | 14 | 0 | 47 | 1 | 3.35 |
| Manav Suthar | 21.4 | 1 | 76 | 4 | 3.50 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 14 | 0 | 65 | 1 | 4.64 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 21 | 5 | 57 | 3 | 2.71 |
Dinusha and Dickwella rescue Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka were reduced to 90 for 5, giving India a chance to consider the possibility of enforcing the follow-on. That opportunity disappeared when Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella produced a 146-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
The partnership changed the complexion of the innings as the older and softer ball became less threatening. Dickwella reached 50 from 67 balls, while Dinusha moved through the 50-run mark from 92 deliveries.
Dinusha eventually completed his maiden Test century, reaching 100 from 167 balls with four fours and two sixes. His innings lasted 269 minutes and provided the foundation for Sri Lanka to move beyond 200.
Dickwella, however, missed out on a century once again. Prasidh Krishna dismissed him for 80 in the 62nd over of the old ball, ending the sixth-wicket stand at 236.
Jadeja adds three wickets as lower order collapses
Ravindra Jadeja joined Suthar among the wickets and finished with 3 for 57 from 21 overs. He removed captain Dhananjaya de Silva, Keshara Nuwantha and Sonal Dinusha.
Jadeja’s dismissal of Dinusha ended a memorable innings. Dinusha was trapped in front after Sri Lanka reviewed the decision, but ball tracking showed the delivery crashing into middle and middle stump.
With Dinusha gone at 274 for 9, Sri Lanka lost their final wicket just 1.3 overs later. Suthar completed the innings by dismissing Lahiru Kumara, leaving Asitha Fernando unbeaten on 0.
Sri Lanka first innings scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nishan Madushka Fernando | c Padikkal b Mohammed Siraj | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Lahiru Udara Igalagamage | c Jaiswal b Suthar | 27 | 44 | 6 | 0 | 61.36 |
| Dinesh Chandimal | c Pant b Suthar | 4 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Kamindu Mendis | c Shubman Gill b Kuldeep Yadav | 14 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 56.00 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | c Rahul b Jadeja | 21 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 51.21 |
| Sonal Dinusha | lbw b Jadeja | 100 | 168 | 4 | 2 | 59.52 |
| Niroshan Dickwella | c Pant b Prasidh Krishna | 80 | 115 | 7 | 0 | 69.56 |
| Keshara Nuwantha | c Shubman Gill b Jadeja | 2 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 11.11 |
| Prabath Jayasuriya | c Jurel b Suthar | 10 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 23.25 |
| Lahiru Kumara | st Pant b Suthar | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 200.00 |
| Asitha Fernando | not out | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | b 8, lb 2, nb 4, w 2 | 16 | ||||
| Total | 79.4 overs | 284 | RR 3.56 |
India first innings scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | run out (Jayasuriya/Dickwella) | 32 | 37 | 5 | 0 | 86.48 |
| KL Rahul | c KNM Fernando b Nuwantha | 82 | 175 | 10 | 1 | 46.85 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | st Dickwella b Jayasuriya | 167 | 230 | 15 | 1 | 72.60 |
| Shubman Gill | c Igalagamage b Jayasuriya | 16 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 57.14 |
| Rishabh Pant | c Dinusha b Nuwantha | 39 | 62 | 4 | 1 | 62.90 |
| Dhruv Jurel | c de Silva b Jayasuriya | 51 | 68 | 4 | 1 | 75.00 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | lbw b Nuwantha | 13 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 52.00 |
| Manav Suthar | c Igalagamage b Jayasuriya | 24 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 55.81 |
| Mohammed Siraj | c de Silva b Asitha Fernando | 11 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 73.33 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | not out | 13 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 92.85 |
| Prasidh Krishna | c Dickwella b Asitha Fernando | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
| Extras | b 4, lb 3, nb 4, w 1 | 12 | ||||
| Total | 116.4 overs | 462 | RR 3.96 |
Sri Lanka bowling scorecard
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | ECON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asitha Fernando | 17.4 | 1 | 63 | 2 | 3.56 |
| Lahiru Kumara | 13 | 1 | 76 | 0 | 5.84 |
| Keshara Nuwantha | 39 | 1 | 175 | 3 | 4.48 |
| Prabath Jayasuriya | 39 | 6 | 109 | 4 | 2.79 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 4 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 3.75 |
| Sonal Dinusha | 4 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 4.25 |
Day 3 timeline and key milestones
| Event | Score/Detail |
|---|---|
| Innings break | India 462 all out in 116.4 overs |
| Sri Lanka 50 | 50/2 in 11.6 overs |
| Drinks | 53/2 in 13 overs |
| Lunch | 99/5 in 28 overs |
| Sri Lanka 100 | 100/5 in 28.1 overs |
| Sixth-wicket partnership reaches 50 | 50 runs in 80 balls |
| Sri Lanka 150 | 150/5 in 42.1 overs |
| Drinks | 153/5 in 44 overs |
| Niroshan Dickwella | 50 off 67 balls |
| Sonal Dinusha | 50 off 92 balls |
| Sixth-wicket partnership reaches 100 | 100 runs in 162 balls |
| Sri Lanka 200 | 200/5 in 54.1 overs |
| Tea | 215/5 in 57 overs |
| Sri Lanka 250 | 250/6 in 69.2 overs |
| Drinks | 271/7 in 75 overs |
| Sonal Dinusha | 100 off 167 balls |
| Innings break | Sri Lanka 284 all out in 79.4 overs |
Fall of wickets
| Wicket | Score | Batter | Over |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | Nishan Madushka Fernando | 0.2 |
| 2 | 27 | Dinesh Chandimal | 7.1 |
| 3 | 53 | Lahiru Udara Igalagamage | 13.5 |
| 4 | 59 | Kamindu Mendis | 16.1 |
| 5 | 90 | Dhananjaya de Silva | 26.1 |
| 6 | 236 | Niroshan Dickwella | 61.4 |
| 7 | 243 | Keshara Nuwantha | 66.4 |
| 8 | 274 | Prabath Jayasuriya | 77.5 |
| 9 | 274 | Sonal Dinusha | 78.1 |
| 10 | 284 | Lahiru Kumara | 79.4 |
India’s batting effort set up the advantage
India’s first-innings total of 462 was built around a career-defining 167 from Devdutt Padikkal. KL Rahul contributed 82, while Dhruv Jurel made 51 and Rishabh Pant scored 39.
Padikkal’s innings ended at 357 when Prabath Jayasuriya completed his fourth wicket by having him stumped. Jayasuriya finished with 4 for 109, the best figures among Sri Lanka’s bowlers.
India added only two runs after reaching 460 for 9, with Prasidh Krishna dismissed for 2 in the final over. Kuldeep Yadav remained unbeaten on 13 as India’s innings ended at 462 in 116.4 overs.
What happens next in the Test?
At the close of Day 3, Sri Lanka had been dismissed for 284 and India held a 178-run first-innings advantage. The match had been rain-curtailed, adding another layer of pressure to the remaining stages of the five-day contest.
India’s dominant bowling display, particularly from Suthar and Jadeja, has put the visitors in a strong position after Sri Lanka’s middle order briefly revived the innings through the Dinusha-Dickwella partnership.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was India’s best bowler against Sri Lanka on Day 3?
Manav Suthar was India’s leading wicket-taker, finishing with 4 wickets for 76 runs. Ravindra Jadeja supported him with 3 for 57.
How many runs did Sri Lanka trail India by after the first innings?
Sri Lanka were dismissed for 284 after India had scored 462, leaving the hosts 178 runs behind.
Match Summary
| Team | Innings | Score | Overs |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 1st | 462 all out | 116.4 |
| Sri Lanka | 1st | 284 all out | 79.4 |
Source attribution: Match scorecard and match report supplied for the India-Sri Lanka first Test in Galle, August 15-19, 2026.
Praveen Yadav is the Founder and Content Creator of The Nation Bulletin, an independent digital news platform focused on delivering timely, reliable and meaningful news from India and around the world.
