Day 1 & 2 – Padikkal’s Masterclass Sets the Tone

India won the toss and elected to bat first on a typical Galle surface. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul provided a solid start, but it was Devdutt Padikkal who stole the show. The left-hander, batting at No. 3, played with sublime timing and patience, anchoring India’s innings with a magnificent 167 off 275 balls. He shared crucial partnerships with KL Rahul (82) and Dhruv Jurel (51) as India piled on 462 runs in their first innings. Padikkal fell just five runs short of breaking Rahul Dravid’s record for most runs by an Indian No. 3 in Sri Lanka. Prabath Jayasuriya was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with 4/109.[reference:0][reference:1]

Day 3 – Suthar and Jadeja Strike, Dinusha’s Maiden Ton

Sri Lanka’s reply began disastrously. Mohammed Siraj struck with his second delivery, removing Nishan Fernando, before Manav Suthar began dismantling the top order. Suthar took 4/76, while Ravindra Jadeja claimed 3/57, including his 350th Test wicket.[reference:2] Sri Lanka slipped to 99/5 at lunch.[reference:3]

Then came the fightback. Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella added 146 runs for the sixth wicket, frustrating India’s bowlers.[reference:4] Dinusha brought up his maiden Test century, while Dickwella fell for 80 – extending his unwanted record of most Test half-centuries without a hundred.[reference:5] Sri Lanka were bowled out for 284, giving India a commanding 178-run first-innings lead.[reference:6]

Day 4 – Pant’s Record, India Set 372 Target

India’s second innings was all about Rishabh Pant. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 66 off 69 balls with eight fours and two sixes, becoming the fastest batter to 100 Test sixes – surpassing Adam Gilchrist’s record in just 89 innings.[reference:7][reference:8] India were bowled out for 193, setting Sri Lanka a daunting target of 372.[reference:9]

Sri Lanka’s chase got off to a nightmare start. Mohammed Siraj dismissed Nishan Madushka for 6, and Manav Suthar struck twice – trapping debutant Pasindu Sooriyabandara for a golden duck and removing Lahiru Udara.[reference:10] Prasidh Krishna had Kamindu Mendis caught at slip for 2.[reference:11] At stumps, Sri Lanka were 84/4, still needing 288 runs.[reference:12]

Day 5 – Suthar Completes 10-Wicket Haul, India Seal Victory

Resuming at 84/4, Sri Lanka’s hopes rested on captain Dhananjaya de Silva and first-innings centurion Sonal Dinusha. The pair added 95 runs for the fifth wicket off 202 balls, frustrating India for over an hour on the final morning.[reference:13]

But Manav Suthar had other ideas. He broke the partnership by dismissing de Silva for 59 and then ran through the lower order. Suthar finished with 6/55 in the second innings, completing a sensational 10-wicket match haul (4/76 + 6/55).[reference:14][reference:15] He bowled Keshara Nuwantha to seal the victory, sparking jubilant celebrations as India won by 165 runs.[reference:16]

Manav Suthar announced himself on the biggest stage with a sensational 10-wicket match haul in just his second Test match. The left-arm orthodox spinner took 4/76 in the first innings and followed it up with a career-best 6/55 in the second.[reference:17][reference:18]

His second-innings spell was particularly devastating. He dismissed debutant Pasindu Sooriyabandara for a golden duck, removed Lahiru Udara, and then broke the crucial 95-run fifth-wicket partnership by dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva for 59. He then ran through the tail, bowling Keshara Nuwantha to seal the victory.[reference:19]

Suthar now has 12 wickets in just two Test matches at an average of under 20. Aakash Chopra believes Suthar has “somewhere fixed his place in the Indian Test team in Asian conditions.”[reference:20]

Rishabh Pant’s second-innings knock of 66 off 69 balls was a masterclass in counter-attacking batting. He smashed eight fours and two sixes, and in the process, became the fastest batter to 100 Test sixes, surpassing Adam Gilchrist’s record in just 89 innings.[reference:22]

Pant is now the first Indian batter to complete 100 sixes in Test cricket and the overall fourth batter to do so.[reference:23] Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta hailed him as a “fearless match-winner.”[reference:24]

Pant’s 66 set the tone for India’s declaration, and his aggressive approach helped India set a daunting target despite a middle-order collapse.

Padikkal’s first-innings 167 was the cornerstone of India’s total. He batted for over six hours, hitting 15 fours and 2 sixes, and shared crucial partnerships with KL Rahul (82) and Dhruv Jurel (51).[reference:25]

He fell just five runs short of breaking Rahul Dravid’s record for most runs by an Indian No. 3 in Sri Lanka.[reference:26] He also became only the fifth Indian pair (with KL Rahul) to register 50-plus stands in both innings of a Test in Sri Lanka.[reference:27]

Ravindra Jadeja reached a major milestone, claiming his 350th Test wicket during Sri Lanka’s first innings. He became only the fifth Indian bowler to achieve this feat, joining Anil Kumble (619), Ravichandran Ashwin (537), Kapil Dev (434), and Harbhajan Singh (417).[reference:28]

Jadeja finished with figures of 3/57 in the first innings and 1/51 in the second, providing excellent support to Suthar.

India have taken a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and will look to complete a clean sweep in the second Test, scheduled to begin on August 23, 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

With 12 crucial World Test Championship points already in the bag, India will aim to consolidate their position at the top of the WTC table. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will need to regroup quickly and find answers to India’s spin attack.

Key questions for Sri Lanka: Can they find a way to counter Manav Suthar’s left-arm spin? Will they persist with the same batting line-up or make changes? For India, the only concern is the middle-order collapse in the second innings – something they will look to address before the Colombo Test.

The stage is set for an exciting finale to the series.