Backed by Rishabh Pant’s quintessential 66, India’s bowlers displayed ruthless efficiency to reduce Sri Lanka to 84 for four at stumps on the fourth day as the visitors positioned themselves for a massive victory in the first Test on Tuesday. Pant, Devdutt Padikkal (44) and KL Rahul (35) pulled in their combined weight to take India to 193 in their second innings, raising an improbable target of 372 in front of Sri Lanka, who are still 288 runs away from that mark. For the hosts, skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (31) and first innings century-maker Sonal Dinusha (25) were manning the crease at close. For a better understanding of the huge mountain in front of Sri Lanka, the highest ever successful chase in Test cricket at the Galle stadium is 344 by Pakistan in 2022, and a 200-plus target was surmounted only twice at this venue since 1998.
If anyone was ever in doubt over Pant’s place in the Test side, this knock would give them an evidence of the left-hander’s value in red ball format. The left-hander swept and cut spinners at will, giving India some valuable runs to break away from the home side.
Gill Struggles Against Spin as India Prepares for Second Test
Shubman Gill’s performance in the recent Test match has raised concerns, as he has managed just one fifty in his last eight innings. This lack of form is particularly troubling for an opener expected to provide a strong start for the team.
In the latest match, Gill was dismissed leg before wicket by Jayasuriya, highlighting his ongoing struggles against spin on challenging surfaces. Following this performance, Indian captain will need to critically assess Gill’s technique and approach ahead of the second Test.
Jaiswal, now largely a one-format player, will have to find a way to register some serious runs under his belt before the patience of bigwigs wears thin.
