WATCH: Manav Suthar strikes with first ball in 1st Test vs Sri Lanka, home side in huge trouble
Team India and GT all-rounder Manav Suthar claimed two early wickets on Day 3 of 1st Test vs Sri Lanka at Galle on Monday.
India's Manav Suthar celebrates after claiming a wicket on Day 3 of 1st Test vs Sri Lanka. (Source: X)
India vs Sri Lanka 2026 1st Test: Rajasthan and Gujarat Titans left-arm spinner Manav Suthar is only 24 years of age and playing in only his second Test of his first first away from home. Suthar couldn't have asked for a better start in the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium as he claimed a wicket off his first ball in the game.
On Day 3 of the 1st Test, after India were bowled out for 462, Suthar was introduced in the 8th over of the match after the Lankans had already lost the early wicket of opener Nishan Madushka out for a duck in the opening over bowled by Mohammed Siraj. Suthar produced a brilliant turning ball which caught the edge of the blade of former Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal and pouched comfortably by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.
Chandimal, batting at the No. 3 position, was dismissed for 5 off 16 balls as the Lankans lost their second wicket for 27 runs.
WATCH Manav Suthar pick up a wicket off the first ball of his first over vs Sri Lanka HERE...
Suthar wasn't done in the first session as yet as he struck again by dismissing the other Lankan opener Lahiru Udara for 27 caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal at slips. Udara's knock came off 44 balls with six fours. Lankans slipped further into trouble with chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav picking up a crucial wicket from the other end.
Kuldeep dismissed Lanka No. 4 batter Kamindu Mendis for 14 off 25 balls (1x6, 1x4) brilliantly caught by Indian skipper Shubman Gill diving at covers. The home team have collapsed to 59 for 4 in 16.1 over in reply to India's 462.
Earlier Asitha Fernando wrapped up the Indian innings for 462 by dismissing No. 11 Prasidh Krishna for 2, caught behind by Niroshan Dickwella. India posted 462 in 116.4 overs with Devdutt Padikkal top-scoring with 167 while KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel chipped in with 82 and 51 respectively.
For the hosts, Prabath Jayasuriya claimed 4/109 in 39 overs and debutant Keshara Nuwantha claimed 3 for 175.
Indian pacer Prasidh Krishna revealed that keeping the ball 'dry' will be crucial to getting reverse swing at Galle in the first Test "It is definitely tough. I think that's where the fielders and everybody comes in to keep the ball dry, help the bowlers. Touch the ball the least when they're running in, only hold it and then run it.
"But I think that's the skill as well. As bowlers, you need to find a way, maybe some wristbands, some towels behind your back all the time. So something like that is going to work," Prasidh said in a chat with the broadcasters.
The GT and Karnataka pacer brushed aside talks that Galle track could deteriorate early. "There hasn't been a talk about it breaking up. We've been looking at the pitch as well. It doesn't really look like it's broken yet. But we're looking at the areas that the Sri Lankan bowlers bowled. They did a good job at different sessions, so we're just trying to learn from them," Krishna said.
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