India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test at the Galle International Stadium on Wednesday, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series after taking the last six wickets on the final morning.

Set 372 to win, Sri Lanka resumed on 84 for 4 and were bowled out for 206. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar finished with 6 for 55, adding to his 4 for 76 in the first innings for a ten-wicket match haul.

The final day

Sri Lanka’s overnight pair of Sonal Dinusha and captain Dhananjaya de Silva saw off the opening spells, both reaching half-centuries, before Ravindra Jadeja removed de Silva for 59 — beating the outside edge with one that turned sharply, then taking pace off the next ball to draw a top edge on the sweep.

Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha then held on for 15 overs. The breakthrough came when Suthar, bowling around the wicket, pitched outside leg and drew Dinusha into turning the ball straight to the lone catching fielder at leg gully for 84.

Suthar’s next three wickets came from deliveries that turned less than expected, bowled quicker with a square seam rather than his usual overspin. Nuwantha was last out, bowled off an inside edge with 2.2 overs remaining before the new ball was due.

How the match was won

India made 462 in the first innings, built on Devdutt Padikkal’s 167 and KL Rahul’s 82, with Prabath Jayasuriya taking 4 for 109. Sri Lanka replied with 284, Dinusha making his maiden Test century and Niroshan Dickwella 80.

India were bowled out for 193 second time around, Rishabh Pant top-scoring with 66, leaving Sri Lanka a target they never seriously threatened after slipping to 84 for 4 on day four.

Dinusha’s 100 and 84 were the clearest positives for the hosts, who lacked partnerships around him. The second and final Test begins at the SSC in Colombo on August 23.

Sources