WATCH: 'Superman' Shubman Gill pulls off stunning catch off Kuldeep Yadav on Day 3 of 1st Test vs Sri Lanka
Indian captain Shubman Gill pulled off a brilliant diving catch to dismiss Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis on Day 3 of 1st Test at Galle on Monday.
Indian captain Shubman Gill after grabbing a brilliant catch to dismiss Kamindu Mendis at Galle. (Source: X)
India vs Sri Lanka 2026 1st Test: Shubman Gill and Team India could have asked for a better start to the third day of 1st Test vs Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium on Monday. After most of second day's play was washed out due to rain on Sunday, the visiting Indian team managed to grab five early wickets in the first session of play.
Indian captain Shubman Gill pulled off a sensational catch to send back Sri Lanka all-rounder Kamindu Mendis for just 14 off the bowling of Kuldeep Yadav. Gill dove to his right and grabbed a 'flying' catch prompting fans to claim that 'superman' was in action on the field.
Mendis had chipped the ball towards covers off chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav, but Gill plucked off the ball just inches from the ground. The video of Gill's brilliant catch soon went viral on social media.
WATCH Shubman Gill's brilliant diving catch to dismiss Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis HERE...
Mendis was the fourth wicket of the Lankan innings after Indians were dismissed for 462 at the start of third day's play. In reply, the visiting bowlers led by left-arm spinner Manav Suthar bowled immaculate lines to slice through Sri Lankan top-order, reducing them to 99 for five at lunch on the third day. Sonal Dinusha (14) and Niroshan Dickwella (8) were batting at the break, with the hosts trailing by 363 runs.
Shubman Gill' side resumed from overnight 460 for 9, and added only a couple of runs to finish their first essay on 462 as the Sri Lankans needed a solid start for a strong pursuit of that total. Pace-bowling spearhead Mohammad Siraj struck in the second ball of the innings to deal an early jolt to the Lankans.
Sri Lanka opener Nishan Fernando, who was impressive for SLC XI in the warm-up match, could not handle Siraj's away swing and bounce, snicking him to Devdutt Padikkal at first slip for no score.
Suthar then got into the act with his very first delivery, finding a faint outside edge from former Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, which was pouched up safely by Rishabh Pant. Lahiru Udara and Kamindu Mendis two batters averaging over 50 in Test cricket looked solid, and the latter even smashed Prasidh Krishna for a pulled six.
Mendis would count himself a bit unlucky as an uppish push off Kuldeep Yadav stuck into the hand of Indian skipper Shubman Gill. Ravindra Jadeja, too, found himself in the wicket-takers list with the scalp of Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (21), who feathered the all-rounder to KL Rahul at slip.
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