Archive · 19 Aug 2026
Suthar’s Ten-Wicket Haul Powers India Past Sri Lanka
India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test at Galle.
Manav Suthar was the biggest star with 10 wickets in the match.
He took six wickets for 55 runs in Sri Lanka’s second innings.
India captain Shubman Gill praised Suthar and said he could play for India for a long time.
Devdutt Padikkal was named Player of the Match after scoring 167 and 44.
Padikkal played at No.
3 because Sai Sudharsan could not recover from a toe injury.
India scored quickly in its second innings because rain might have reduced the time available for bowling.
Padikkal said the pitch was slow at first and turned more from the third day.
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva said India benefited from winning the toss and batting first.
India defeated Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test at Galle on August 19.
Manav Suthar took 10 for 126, including 6 for 55 in the second innings.
Shubman Gill called Suthar magnificent and said he could represent India for many years.
Devdutt Padikkal won Player of the Match after scoring 167 and 44.
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva said the toss and India’s first-innings runs strongly influenced the result.
- Who
- India, led by Shubman Gill, defeated Sri Lanka, captained by Dhananjaya de Silva; Manav Suthar and Devdutt Padikkal were India’s leading performers.
- What
- India won the first Test by 165 runs, with Suthar taking 10 wickets and Padikkal scoring 211 runs across both innings.
- When
- August 19, according to the reports.
- Where
- Galle, Sri Lanka.
- Why
- India built a large advantage by batting first, while Sri Lanka lost wickets; India’s aggressive second innings also sought to leave enough time for bowling despite weather concerns.
India’s Assessment
Sri Lanka’s Assessment
Importance of the Toss
India’s Assessment
India used winning the toss and batting first to establish a substantial advantage.
Sri Lanka’s Assessment
Dhananjaya de Silva said the toss played a major role because India put runs on the board before conditions became more difficult for batting.
Pitch and Conditions
India’s Assessment
Devdutt Padikkal described a slow pitch with limited initial bite for left-arm spinners, followed by more turn from the third day.
Sri Lanka’s Assessment
De Silva said the pitch was good for batting during the first three days but that batting last at Galle was difficult.
India’s Aggressive Second Innings
India’s Assessment
Gill said India accepted the loss of some wickets while trying to build a lead of about 400 and preserve time for bowling amid uncertain weather.
Sri Lanka’s Assessment
Sri Lanka’s account emphasized that India’s strong starts, including those by Rahul and Padikkal, became large scores and increased pressure on Sri Lanka.
- Match result
- India defeated Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test.
- Manav Suthar’s match figures
- 10 for 126, including 6 for 55 in the second innings.
- Suthar’s recent form
- He recorded his second successive five-wicket haul in as many matches.
- Devdutt Padikkal’s scores
- 167 in the first innings and 44 in the second, for an aggregate of 211 runs.
- Player of the Match
- Devdutt Padikkal.
- India’s World Test Championship position
- Fifth, with 53.33 percentage points.
- India’s second-innings score
- 193 all out while pursuing an aggressive approach and a lead of about 400.
- Pitch assessments
- Padikkal described the pitch as slow initially and turning more from the third day, while de Silva said it was good for batting during the first three days.
