India Secures Victory Over Sri Lanka in First Test by 165 Runs

In a thrilling first Test match, India defeated Sri Lanka by 165 runs at Galle International Stadium. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva acknowledged the pressure created by India's KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal, who scored significant runs. Despite a valiant effort from Sri Lanka's Sonal Dinusha, India's bowlers, led by Manav Suthar, dominated the second innings. With this victory, India takes a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, setting the stage for an exciting second Test in Colombo.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 19, 2026, 18:15 IST

Sri Lanka Captain Acknowledges India's Strong Performance

Dhananjaya de Silva, the captain of Sri Lanka, expressed that India's ability to convert the solid starts from KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal into significant scores placed considerable pressure on the home team during the first Test, which India clinched by 165 runs at Galle International Stadium on Wednesday.

India's Dominance in the First Innings

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, India amassed a total of 464 runs in their first innings. KL Rahul, opening the batting, scored a steady 82, while Padikkal, batting at number three, delivered an impressive 167, establishing a commanding lead for the visitors.

Sri Lanka's Struggles and Key Performances

In the post-match presentation, Dhananjaya noted that Sri Lanka struggled to bounce back after India set a formidable total. He remarked, "The first three days were good for batting. The fourth innings is always challenging in Galle. The starts from Rahul and Padikkal were crucial as they converted them into big scores, putting us under pressure."

Sri Lanka's first innings concluded at 284, despite a century from Sonal Dinusha and an 80 from Niroshan Dickwella. India then scored 193 in their second innings, setting a daunting target of 372 runs for the hosts.

Sri Lanka's Chase and India's Bowling Prowess

The Sri Lankan team began their fourth innings with a positive approach but quickly found themselves at 84 for 4. Dhananjaya and Dinusha then partnered to revive their innings, adding 95 runs before Jadeja dismissed Dhananjaya for 59. Dhananjaya faced 151 balls, hitting seven fours, while Dinusha followed up his century with a resilient 84.

As the pitch deteriorated, India's spinners took charge. Manav Suthar emerged as the standout performer, claiming six wickets for 55 runs in the second innings. He took three wickets in the 76th over, reducing Sri Lanka to 199 for 9, and then returned to dismiss Keshara Nuwantha, achieving his first 10-wicket haul in Test cricket.

Final Scores and Reflections

Sri Lanka was ultimately bowled out for 206, giving India a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.

Reflecting on the match, Dhananjaya stated, "From the second day onward, we were competitive, and the boys fought hard even in the fourth innings. It’s not easy, but I believe it was a good game."

When asked about the impact of the toss, he acknowledged, "Perhaps, because they won the toss and put runs on the board. We lost early wickets while batting, which put us in a difficult position."

India's win sets them up favorably for the second and final Test, scheduled to begin on August 23 in Colombo.

Match Summary

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka: 284 and 206 (Sonal Dinusha 84, Dhananjaya de Silva 59; Manav Suthar 6/55) vs India: 464 and 193 (Rishabh Pant 66, Devdutt Padikkal 44; Asitha Fernando 4/31).