Team India registered a huge win in the first Test of the ongoing two-Test series against Sri Lanka. This game was played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle. India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bat first.
Devdutt Padikkal made 167, KL Rahul made 82, and Dhruv Jurel made 51 as India amassed 462 runs in their first innings. In response, Sri Lanka made 284 runs, with Sonal Dinusha making 100 and Niroshan Dickwella making 80. For India, Manav Suthar picked four wickets, while Ravindra Jadeja took three.
India then posted 193 runs in the second innings, with Rishabh Pant making 66 runs, and set a target of 372 runs for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka tried their best despite losing the top order soon and cheaply. Dhananjaya de Silva (59) and Sonal Dinusha (84) resisted a bit, but Sri Lanka was bowled out for 206 runs. Mana Suthar picked 6/55 and also completed his ten-wicket haul in the Test.
India won the game by 165 runs to go 1-0 up in the series.
KL Rahul, India's vice-captain, was a relieved man as it took quite some time for the visitors to wrap up the Sri Lankan innings, as there was good resistance from the lower order. He also praised Sonal Dinusha for getting 100 and 84 in the two innings of the Test.
“Just relieved, honestly! We kept looking at the clouds upstairs, and we knew there was one big shower coming, so we didn't want to delay the game. We were trying to get the wickets as quickly as we could. Obviously, they had a decent partnership, and once we broke that partnership, we felt like we were right back in the game, and we could—once we got into their tail, we knew that we could get the wickets early. But yeah, we had one eye on the clouds,” KL Rahul stated after the match.
“I think it was a great Test match. I think the wicket played really well throughout the five days. There was something in it for spinners, obviously, but the batters who applied themselves as well could get some runs. And we've seen Sonal (Dinusha) from the Sri Lankan team. In both innings, getting a hundred and an 80, batting beautifully, he had a very clear game plan to sweep the spinners and use his feet.
So, I think people who really committed to their game plan could score runs as well. So that's what you want to see in Test matches, where fast bowlers picked wickets too, even for their team and for our team. So, I think all in all, it was a great wicket and a great Test match,” Rahul added.
Rahul was asked whether India was waiting for the second new ball to become available, as the Sonal-Dinusha-Keshara-Nuwantha partnership was going great. Rahul stated that the opposition batted well, but the team had complete faith in the bowlers, and the pitch was assisting the spinners.
“We knew that the new ball was going to come, and if we couldn't get wickets, the new ball would be our next best chance. But throughout the day, our mindset obviously was to keep putting the ball in the right areas. We knew there was a little bit of help from the wicket. Obviously, the opposition can also play well. There are batters who will dig deep and get a partnership. So, we knew that would happen. So, we just had to be patient and just keep putting the ball in the areas and the wicket; as I said, there was some help in it. And once we got a wicket, or once we broke a partnership, then we knew we could get two or three together,” Rahul said.
Rahul also stated that batters who were confident in their technique and applied themselves well managed to get big scores.
“It was a really good Test match wicket to play in. Batters who really committed to their plans or had a plan as to how they were going to play spin or fast bowling stood a chance. I feel honestly someone who walked in there thinking, "I'll see what to do once I get there," is a batter who kind of struggled because there was a little bit of help straightaway. And the batters who have gotten out are the guys who got out in the first 15-20 balls. That tells you the whole story. So, if you could get through those 20 balls and 25 balls and commit to a plan, then you were okay,” he concluded.
The second and final Test match of the series will be played at the SSC Ground in Colombo from August 23 onwards as both teams will look to win and grab important WTC points.
(PTI inputs)
