Indian spinners outclass Sri Lankan batters to secure strong lead

Indian bowlers established total control on the third day in Galle by securing a commanding 178-run first-innings lead. Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja shared seven wickets to bowl out Sri Lanka for 284 in response to India's total of 462. Suthar made an immediate impact on his arrival in Sri Lankan conditions, dismissing veteran Dinesh Chandimal with his very first delivery. This performance highlights India's long-standing dominance in subcontinental spin-friendly conditions, where their slow bowlers consistently dismantle opposition lineups.

Spinners Rattle Top Order

Sri Lanka found themselves struggling at 90 for 5 after early strikes from the bowling attack. Mohammed Siraj found the edge of Nishan Madushka in the first over of the innings. Suthar then utilized overspin and sharp turn to deceive the batsmen. He forced Lahiru Udara into a false shot that went straight to backward point. Kuldeep Yadav contributed by beating Kamindu Mendis, aided by a spectacular one-handed diving catch by Shubman Gill at short cover. Jadeja also found his rhythm, producing sharp turn to dismiss Dhananjaya de Silva.

Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella prevented an early follow-on by building a resilient 146-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Both batsmen survived close calls early on but soon capitalized on the softer ball. Dinusha executed reverse sweeps effectively, while Dickwella relied on regulation sweeps to counter the spin. Prasidh Krishna eventually broke the stand with a wobble-seam delivery, dismissing Dickwella for 80. Dinusha went on to celebrate his maiden Test century, anchoring the lower order.

Jadeja Reaches Historic Milestone

Fortune favoured Jadeja when Keshara Nuwantha drove a ball into Yashasvi Jaiswal's knee at silly point, resulting in a simple catch. This dismissal made Jadeja only the ninth spinner in history to claim 350 Test wickets. Following Dinusha's milestone, Suthar and Jadeja quickly wrapped up the tail. Suthar finished with outstanding figures of 4 for 76. He maintained immense discipline, keeping more than half his deliveries in the dangerous four to five-meter length zone. Bad light interrupted play late in the day, denying the visiting team 13 crucial overs of batting and leaving them 196 overs to force a result.

Image Courtesy: ANI