Ravindra Jadeja breached a stonewalling alliance between Sonal Dinusha and Dhananjaya de Silva, reducing Sri Lanka to 175 for six at lunch to push India closer to a victory on the fifth and final day of the first Test in Galle on Wednesday (August 19, 2026).

Chasing a distant 372, Dinusha (65) and Keshara Nuwantha (8) were holding the fort for Sri Lanka but the Indians will be hoping to wrap the proceedings at the earliest in the coming session.

Starting from a wobbly 84 for four, the end looked nigh for the home side. But Dinusha and De Silva (59 off 151 balls), the two overnight batters, added 95 runs off 202 balls to deny the Indians success for well over an hour into the opening session of the day.

Just like the Indian batters, sweep too was the Lankan pair’s preferred way to tackle the spinners.

Jadeja looked easily the best Indian spinner on the day, putting his body behind the ball and getting a good amount of purchase from the surface.

Manav Suthar did not bowl too many overs but looked sharp but left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav was quite flat, failing to get much out of an abrasive deck and he will surely want to improve upon this effort.

It was quite astounding to watch him rather go through the motions. Operating from around the wicket also snuffed out the leg before option for him.

But amid the mighty push from other Indian bowlers, De Silva reached his fifty in 125 balls and a little later Dinusha, who made a 100 in the first innings, too joined his captain.

However, he brought up the landmark with more flourish, a slog-swept six off Kuldeep.

But Jadeja found a way past the defence of De Silva. The veteran left-arm spinner managed to eke out a bit more bounce and De Silva’s top-edged sweep ended in the hands of Suthar at short fine leg.

Niroshan Dickwella, who played a sensible innings in Sri Lanka’s first dig, appeared to be in a hurry to knock off the remaining runs.

There were a couple of desperate slog sweeps against Kuldeep and Jadeja before eventually succumbing to pacer Prasidh Krishna.

Dickwella tried to manufacture a shot over covers while giving himself some room off Prasidh, but all he managed was a healthy edge to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.

But Dinusha and Nuwantha managed to see off the next 30 minutes with pluck and luck.

India strengthened their grip on the opening Test after being bowled out for 193 in their second innings, setting hosts Sri Lanka a daunting 372-run target for victory on Tuesday (August 18, 2026).

India, who had posted 462 in their first innings, had dismissed Sri Lanka for 284 on Monday (August 17) to secure a crucial 174-run lead. Returning to the crease on Tuesday (August 18), the visitors adopted an aggressive approach, looking to build a total beyond Sri Lanka’s reach.

Opener KL Rahul (35) and Devdutt Padikkal (44) steadied the innings with a 64-run partnership as India reached 116 for 4 at lunch.

Rishabh Pant then took the attack to the Sri Lankan bowlers, smashing a 69-ball 66 that included two sixes. His innings also saw him become the first Indian to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket and the fastest player in the world to reach the milestone.

India suffered an early setback when Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a duck by Asitha Fernando off the third ball of the opening over. Mr. Rahul and Mr. Padikkal, however, negotiated the early movement and rebuilt the innings.

Mr. Rahul was eventually dismissed as the second wicket to fall, before Shubman Gill (8) departed cheaply, with Prabath Jayasuriya (3/43) claiming both wickets.

As Sri Lanka looks to end its decade-long win drought against India in Tests, former Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews said the team has to play a positive brand of cricket to tame the visitors.

“You’ve got all the videos, and there are no secrets in international cricket nowadays. So, it’s about the positive body language and the mindset they need to take into the field. They are coming up against a huge Indian line-up, and it’s never easy to play against them in any condition. It’s a matter of having the right attitude and taking the game on,” Mathews said during an online interaction on Friday, on the eve of the first Test starting in Galle.

In the build-up to the match, there has been a lot of focus on the spin strengths of both sides and how many could feature in the XI. However, the 39-year-old felt that fast bowlers could still play a huge part in the series.

“Spin plays a major role, especially in these conditions. So Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis will be vital. But I wouldn’t rule out the pacers. Guys like Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando will have a bigger role to play, especially with the new ball, and also trying to keep it tight at one end so the spinners can go at the Indian batters. It has to be a collective effort,” he added.

The former Lanka all-rounder reckoned that India might miss Jasprit Bumrah, especially in Galle, where quicks can get reverse swing.

“Bumrah has got the skill to bowl in any condition. And he would have been lethal, especially in Galle with the reverse swing. So, Sri Lanka is quite lucky not to have come up against Bumrah. But Siraj, Jadeja, and Kuldeep have got the skill. So, Sri Lankan batters can’t be complacent. You have got to respect the game and take it in a positive attitude,” said Mathews.

(Watch the Sri Lanka-India Test series live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony LIV from 10 a.m. on August 15).

Gary Kirsten guided India to some of its greatest achievements during his three-year tenure as head coach. The defining moment came in his final assignment, when Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina carried him on their shoulders after India lifted the 2011 Cricket World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Kirsten looks back on those years with fondness, even as he now finds himself in the opposition camp.

As Sri Lanka head coach, he will be plotting India’s downfall when the two-match Test series begins at Galle on Saturday.

“That was a great three years. There was a lot of skill in the team. What I appreciated was that they accepted me into their space and felt I could add value. That was a real privilege,” Kirsten said during a virtual interaction on Thursday.

The South African earned widespread praise for his man-management skills while working with a star-studded Indian side that included Sachin Tendulkar, M.S. Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh.

Kirsten hopes to build similar relationships with the current Sri Lankan squad.

“I’ve treated this Sri Lankan opportunity with the same seriousness that I did the Indian team. I built good relationships with the Indian players, and I’m attempting to do the same with the Sri Lankan players,” he said.

The 58-year-old kept his cards close to his chest when asked about India’s perceived vulnerability against spin. “We would certainly like to bring all the skills into the game, not just spin,” Kirsten said.

The former opening batter also backed India head coach Gautam Gambhir. “His record speaks for itself. I really enjoyed working with him when he was a player. He was a very smart cricketer, and I knew he would have success as a coach,” Kirsten said.

(Watch Sri Lanka vs. India 1st Test Day 1 on August 15, 2026, from 10 a.m. IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony LIV).