Sonal Dinusha reached his maiden Test century on the third day of the first Test in Galle, but Sri Lanka were bowled out for 284 and trail India by 178 runs on first innings.
Sri Lanka’s reply to India’s 462 began badly. Mohammed Siraj had opener Nishan Madushka caught at first slip in the opening over, and debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar then took the game away with sharp turn and bounce from the eighth over onwards. Suthar’s first delivery took the glove of Dinesh Chandimal, and Lahiru Udara fell to a mistimed cut. Kuldeep Yadav removed Kamindu Mendis — Shubman Gill diving full length at short cover for a one-handed catch — and Ravindra Jadeja found the edge of Dhananjaya de Silva’s bat.
A stand of 146
At 90 for five, Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella dug in. Their sixth-wicket partnership of 146 swept India off their length through the middle session, which produced four runs an over without a wicket. Dinusha finished on 100 from 168 balls with four fours and two sixes, including a slog-swept six off Jadeja. Dickwella made 80 from 115 balls with seven fours.
Dickwella’s dismissal — edging a wobble-seam delivery from Prasidh Krishna with a 62-over-old ball — left him still holding the unwanted record of most Test half-centuries without a hundred, though he had passed 100 balls for the first time in 21 Test innings.
Jadeja dismissed debutant Keshara Nuwantha for his 350th Test wicket, becoming only the ninth spinner to reach the mark, then trapped Dinusha. Suthar finished with 4 for 76 on debut and Jadeja 3 for 57. Sri Lanka were dismissed in 79.4 overs.
Bad light cost India 13 overs of batting at the close. With 196 overs still possible in the match, the visitors are well placed to press for a result after Devdutt Padikkal’s 167 on day two.