India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Full Commentary

Welcome back for Sri Lanka's reply. Rod Tucker fell ill yesterday and was replaced by Raveendra Wimalasiri. Today, Ahsan Raza has filled in for Tucker. It will be Lahiru Udara and Nishan Fernando to open the innings for the home side. Mohammed Siraj has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Nishan is on strike. Here we go...

... SECOND INNINGS ...

Spinners made their mark, eventually - There was enough in the conditions for the Lankan spinners from the opening day, but they could not make it count. The course correction came on Day 2, but the damage had already been done by then. Debutant Keshara Nuwantha made a strong impression after a relatively quiet first day in Test cricket, while Prabath Jayasuriya, after a quiet spell in recent times at Galle, picked up four wickets. Sri Lanka have their work cut out now as they set out in reply. Without the likes of Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, it is an opportunity for the others to step up and make their mark against this Indian attack.

India finish with 462 - Having opted to bat first, India have managed to put up a formidable total on the board. Contributions came from across the batting order, with Devdutt Padikkal's 167 the headline act as he brought up his maiden Test hundred and made a strong case for himself at number 3. KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel also made scores of note.

We are all set for the action to commence. The skies are still clear overhead, although the sun has hidden behind the clouds. A stiff breeze is blowing across the ground. Prasidh Krishna will face the first ball of the day. Asitha Fernando will kick things off with the ball. The field is set for the short ball as Fernando will steam in from around the wicket. Let's go...

No declaration from India. Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar had a look at the wicket earlier and shared his thoughts. He feels the wicket still looks good, with no obvious wear and tear on the surface. There are, however, a couple of rough patches that could come into play as the Test progresses. Manjrekar has his theory behind India's decision not to declare overnight. With India batting, they had the option of using the roller, but they chose not to.

Early start, weather permitting - We are in for an early start today to make up for the time lost to rain, with the first ball scheduled for 4.15 am GMT (9.45 am IST). That was the plan yesterday as well, but the rain meant we had to wait nearly five hours before seeing any action. It has been a sunny start to the morning, and let's hope it stays that way so we can get a prompt start.

Sri Lanka raise their game - The hosts were much better with the ball on Day 2 after an inconsistent showing on the opening day, and the improvement in their lines and lengths brought rewards when the second new ball was taken. Their next challenge is with the bat, and that could be just around the corner. An overnight declaration from India cannot be ruled out, which would allow them to unleash their pacers in the morning conditions.

India hold the cards - Both these sides are in that territory in the WTC race where neither can afford a draw in the series and both need to go for the win. Two days into the Test, India are better placed to do so, and the intrigue now lies in how they go about achieving it.

Welcome, one and all - We are back for Day 3 action in the first Test at Galle. Both days so far have been affected by rain, particularly yesterday when only 43 overs were possible. The forecast suggests rain could continue to play a part over the remaining three days, but we begin today hoping for better fortunes and as much uninterrupted cricket as possible.

... DAY 3, SESSION 1 ...

That's all from us - Right then, that brings us to the end of a rain-curtailed Day 2 of this first Test, with India continuing to strengthen their position while Sri Lanka showed more fight but still have plenty of ground to make up. Day 3, the traditional ‘Moving Day’, will start early at 4.15 am GMT (9.45 am IST) to make up for some of the lost time and overs. Do join us early for all the build-up to the game. Cheers!

A chat with the centurion - Devdutt Padikkal says he had dreamt of this moment and has spent the last two years working hard to ensure that whenever an opportunity came his way, he could do something special. On playing spin, he believes that you need to have certain plans in your head, as you cannot always react to what the bowler delivers. Over the last year or so, he has worked on ways to put the pressure back on the bowlers with his shots. Padikkal says having clarity in his plans helps with his confidence and footwork. He is focused on committing fully to whatever he decides to do. Mentions that the hunger to score more runs remains, as he enjoys batting. Adds that the next 10 balls after reaching a hundred are particularly important to him, as he looks to stay focused. When asked if the pitch had started to grip a lot more on Day 2, Padikkal says not so much, and he feels it will need another couple of sessions before the surface starts breaking up. Believes pitches at Galle tend to quicken up pretty fast on Days 3 and 4 and hopes that is the case. When asked if there are any celebrations in order for the milestone, Padikkal smiles and says that he is tired and will go to bed.

The hosts find wickets late - India kept the runs flowing in the final session, but Sri Lanka refused to let them get away, striking at regular intervals. Prabath Jayasuriya removed Jadeja cheaply, but Jurel countered with a fine fifty, adding 55 alongside Manav Suthar. He had a life on 29 when the Lankan skipper put him down, while Lahiru Kumara briefly eased the pressure by conceding 29 in three overs, only for Dhananjaya de Silva to make amends with a stunning first-slip catch to remove him later. Siraj was promoted to swing hard but managed just one six, while Manav Suthar showed promise in his 24 before falling while trying to accelerate. Jayasuriya claimed a four-fer, and with India finishing on 460/9, one would think that they might not come out to bat and let their bowlers use the early morning conditions to make inroads, that is, if rain permits.

India add runs, Lanka fight back - After a frustrating morning lost entirely to rain and a wet outfield, play finally got underway nearly five hours after the scheduled start. India resumed on 288/2 and continued to pile on the runs, but Sri Lanka came back strongly with the second new ball. Pant and Rahul fell in quick succession to the impressive debutant Keshara Nuwantha, before Devdutt Padikkal carried on to a magnificent 167, only to be undone by a beauty from Prabath Jayasuriya. India still added 76 runs in the session to reach 364/5 at Tea.

12.35 pm GMT - (6.05 pm IST) - STUMPS, DAY 2! Despite getting only 43 overs of play with rain once again dominating the day, there was plenty of action, with India adding 172 runs while Sri Lanka picked up 7 wickets. The hosts’ overnight plans clearly paid off as they bowled with greater consistency, particularly their spinners, and made India work hard for their runs. It was a much better contest between the sides, though Sri Lanka will surely wonder where this performance was on the opening day, because a similar effort then could have made this a far tighter battle heading into Moving Day.

Prabath Jayasuriya will bowl the final over of the day.

Is that out? Sri Lanka have taken a review for LBW, not given on the field. Ball Tracking shows it is missing the leg stump.

All in readiness for the day to commence. The sun is shining brightly as the two umpires and players make their way out to the centre. Still no Rod Tucker today as he continues to recover from illness, with Ahsan Raza stepping in for him. It will be the left-hand, right-hand opening combination of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul for India. Asitha Fernando will start with the new ball. Jaiswal is on strike. Two slips and a gully await. Let's go...

.... THIRD INNINGS ....

Weather watch - Blue skies greet us this morning, and the forecast suggests most of the day should remain fair, but you can never be too sure with Galle. Clouds can roll in quickly and change the picture, so the weather will remain something to keep an eye on throughout the day. Reminder that it is another early start to make up for the overs lost in the Test, with the first ball scheduled for 4.15 am GMT (9.45 am IST). Settle in, as another big day in Galle awaits.

Sri Lanka have a blueprint - With India needing to declare at some point, they will know the Indian batters will be looking for runs, and in doing so, avenues could open up for them to make inroads. One also feels they would have learned their lesson from the first innings and will bowl with far greater discipline than they did on the opening day.

India weigh up the declaration - The question for India is how many more they want to add, but the bigger question is how much time they feel they need to take 10 Sri Lankan wickets. One gets the feeling they will want to reach the point where the second new ball becomes available on Day 5. We saw yesterday that once the ball lost its hardness, the bite and zip off the surface disappeared, so the visitors will want to have a crack with the new ball at some point today and, if needed, again tomorrow.

Welcome back for Day 4 - After three days of action, we have a Test that is fascinatingly poised, with India holding the advantage but Sri Lanka having shown enough fight to keep themselves in the contest. India lead by 178 runs with two days to go in this game, but no one quite knows how much cricket we are going to get. Day 2 saw only 43 overs, while Days 1 and 3 produced considerably more action. Here's hoping the rain stays away and allows this Test to build towards the finish it deserves.

.... DAY 4 ....

Big Day 4 coming up - Indeed. And the Indians will also feel a touch relieved to have escaped coming out to bat in that tricky period towards the end of the day. They will come out fresh on Day 4, with an aim to just drag the game away from Sri Lanka's reach. The hosts, on the other hand, showed a good fight with the ball through the second day, and will look to repeat that dose with even more conviction, hoping to restrict India as cheaply as possible from here. However, with the weather forecast pointing to rain over the last two days, time itself could end up being the biggest variable in how this Test finally unfolds. So that's that from today. India hold the aces. Sri Lanka are on the back foot. Day 4 begins on Tuesday, 18th August, with the first ball scheduled to be bowled at 4.15 am GMT (9.45 am IST), as it will be another early start. Cheers!

Spinners laid the trap - Let us take a peek at what happened on this Moving Day. Four balls were all Sri Lanka needed to wrap up India's marathon 462, but the hosts barely got to enjoy it before Siraj struck early and Manav Suthar weaved magic on the first ball to remove Chandimal. A few brisk partnerships offered brief resistance, but India's spin trio kept the squeeze on throughout, sending Sri Lanka sliding from 27/1 to 59/4 before Jadeja struck again just before lunch to round off a dominant morning for India. But the response from Sri Lanka was solid as they went wicketless in the afternoon session, on the back of a massive recovery partnership between Dickwella and Dinusha, with the former being dropped on 20 by KL Rahul. With the ball getting softer and older, batting turned a touch more breathable, and Dickwella and Dinusha made full use of it, sweeping their way through to keep any hint of a slide at bay before the Indians barged back in style.

11.36 am GMT (5.06 pm IST) - STUMPS ON DAY 3 - That will be that for the day, as the umpires have decided that no further play is possible with the weather around. It feels like the clouds got together and decided this was the moment to let it all out. Overall, it was yet another day that belonged firmly to India, who carry a healthy 178-run lead into what's left of this Test after the first innings. Sri Lanka did test the tourists, especially through the afternoon session, but it simply wasn't enough to shake walls that had been built brick by brick.

Game stopped due to : Rain Stoppage

Rain threat in Galle - India will have to negotiate 13 overs today, weather permitting, as dark clouds are lurking ominously. It isn't raining just yet, but as a precaution, the ground staff have rolled the covers over the pitch and squares, sensing perhaps that a shower might be on its way. But just as we speak, it looks like it has started to drizzle in Galle.

Impressive fightback - Despite their top order being blown away to 90 for 5, Sri Lanka found a solid counterpunch through the pairing of Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella who parked themselves at the crease in an alliance of 146 runs. They were still behind the eight ball, but their effort helped the home side to avoid the follow-on. Though Dickwella failed to convert yet another fifty into his maiden Test hundred, Dinusha went the extra mile and notched up his first hundred in the longest format, displaying enormous character. And with some valuable runs from the lower order, Sri Lanka did manage to shrink their deficit to 178 runs, but they just ran out of steam once Dinusha was fished out.

11.27 am GMT (4.57 pm IST) - India continue to hold the upper hand throughout this Test, with the Lankan fightback notwithstanding. And with a mammoth 462 on the board, they were always going to be a mile ahead of the hosts regardless. Excellent outing for the likes of Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja, who shared seven wickets between them, with the latter getting to his 350th Test wicket en route.

That was as plumb as it could get. End of a fighting knock from Dinusha but he looks very disappointed. Sri Lanka are on the verge of being bowled out, with the second new ball 1.5 overs away. Dinusha walks off to warm applause from his teammates and the Galle crowd alike. Asitha Fernando is the last batter in for Sri Lanka.

The new batter is Lahiru Kumara.

The rain has gone, the sun is shining brightly, and we are all set to get going. Shubman Gill leads his men out onto the park. Lahiru Udara and Nishan Fernando are the two Sri Lankan openers. Mohammed Siraj will kickstart proceedings with the new ball. Fernando is on strike. Two slips and a gully in place. Let's play...

... FOURTH INNINGS ...

9.38 am GMT (3.08 pm IST) - The umpires are out for an inspection, while the ground staff continue with the clean-up work. We are not far away from a resumption now. And there you go, we have a resumption time. Play is set to resume at 10 am GMT (3.30 pm IST).

Game stopped due to : Wet Ground Condition

9.25 am GMT (2.55 pm IST) - The sun is out, and the rain seems to have subsided. The entire ground was covered, so it will take some time for the ground staff to remove all the covers and get the ground ready.

The covers were brought on as a precaution, and now it has started to rain. The post-Tea session was expected to commence at 9.23 am GMT (2.53 pm IST), but we are sure to have a delayed start due to the rain. Let's hope it clears up soon.

Lankan bowlers stay in the fight - Sri Lanka, for their part, kept chipping away at the wickets across the two sessions. A word for Lahiru Kumara, who gave it his all with the short-ball ploy, as did Asitha Fernando, and both were rewarded for their efforts. Adding to the challenge for the home side is that they will be without Dinesh Chandimal, who has been ruled out with a concussion. His replacement, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, brings plenty of first-class experience and will be hoping to make an impact in his first Test outing. There are 47 overs left today and 98 more scheduled for tomorrow, but it remains to be seen how much of that we actually get.

Pant led India's charge - The job of stretching the lead was primarily done by Rishabh Pant, who tackled the short-ball ploy well in the second session and picked up plenty of runs. Earlier, there were contributions from KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal, although neither could quite convert their starts. That final phase of India's innings would have left many puzzled. There was little urgency, with the batters seemingly content to block it out, which does not appear the wisest approach given the uncertainty around the weather.

9.03 am GMT (2.33 pm IST) - With the end of the Indian innings, Tea has been taken. It all fizzled out after the departure of Rishabh Pant, with them only adding 19 runs in the 50 balls post his departure. Sri Lanka have been set a target of 372 runs with four sessions left in the Test.

The ground staff are making their way towards the covers, with dark clouds lurking ominously in the distance.

Prasidh Krishna is the last batter in for India.

The on-air commentators share an update on Dinesh Chandimal. Unfortunately, he is ruled out of this Test with a concussion. Pasindu Sooriyabandara has been named as the concussion substitute. Also, Prabath Jayasuriya is back into the attack.

Mohammed Siraj is in next.

That's a wrap - Despite the win, India remain 5th in the WTC standings, with their points percentage now at 53.33, while Sri Lanka stay 6th with 33.33. At the moment, Australia are at the top of the table, with South Africa in 2nd. Sri Lanka can no longer win this series, but they will hope to deny India a series win in the second Test in Colombo at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, starting on Sunday, 23rd August. That game will begin at 4.30 am GMT (10 am IST). There is plenty of Test action to follow in the meantime, with England and Pakistan facing each other in the first Test later today at 10 am GMT (3.30 pm IST), while the second Test between Australia and Bangladesh will begin on Saturday, 22nd August. Until then, take care and goodbye.

The skipper of India - Shubman Gill says it is a special feeling to win India’s 600th Test. Admits that Sri Lanka put them under some pressure at times, but his side responded well. When asked whether batting is a concern given how India’s second innings unfolded, Gill says it is not an issue for the team. Explains that the aim in the third innings was to build a lead of around 400, but the wicket was not easy to score on, and in their search for quick runs, they lost wickets. Feels Suthar has been bowling magnificently and looks like a very promising player who can serve India for a long time. On Padikkal, Gill says it was great to watch him turn his hundred into a big score in the first innings and then continue to dominate in the second innings. On India’s WTC ambitions, Gill says reaching the final is the ultimate goal. He adds that Test wins do not come easy, making this victory all the more satisfying.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Devdutt Padikkal takes home the award, scoring 167 in the first innings and following it up with 44 in the second dig. He reflects on the spread of venues he has featured at, starting in Dharamsala, then Perth, and now Galle. Says he couldn't have asked for anything better and feels great to contribute to the team. On the surface, Padikkal says it showed natural wear and tear as the match wore on, calling it a great Test wicket that played well across all five days, though it began turning noticeably more from day three onward. Ultimately, he feels it came down to which side executed their skills better, and India did exactly that. On being asked why left-handers seemed to have more joy than the right-handed batters, he says it wasn't really a deliberate pattern, more a byproduct of the match being dominated by left-arm spin. On a wicket this slow, he explains, left-handers simply found it easier to negotiate that particular threat than right-handers did.

The captain of Sri Lanka - Dhananjaya de Silva feels Sri Lanka fought hard throughout the Test, particularly from Day 2 onwards. He says the pitch was good to bat on for the first three days, but the fourth innings was always going to be difficult. He points to KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal’s partnership on the opening day as a key difference.

Time for the presentation ceremony, which is taking place indoors due to the rain.

Patience pays off - With 288 still needed at the start of the day and 6 wickets in hand, it was a long road ahead for Sri Lanka. The target was always going to be a huge ask, so the focus was on taking it one step at a time. Dhananjaya and Sonal Dinusha gave Sri Lanka a steady start to Day 5, but India remained patient, resisted the temptation to go searching for wickets and waited for the mistakes to come. And eventually, they did. The first came from the Lankan skipper, followed by another from Niroshan Dickwella, leaving Dinusha to fight it out with the tail. His resistance eventually came to an end, and with it went Sri Lanka’s last realistic hope of saving the Test.

Up against it - In the second dig, the challenge for the home side grew even tougher when Dinesh Chandimal was ruled out with a concussion, and his replacement Pasindu Sooriyabandara fell for a golden duck. Sri Lanka soon found themselves reduced to 47/4 late on Day 4. It could have been worse had Jadeja managed to keep his foot behind the line when Dhananjaya de Silva edged one to slip, and that meant the Lankan skipper lived to fight another day.

Building on the lead - India had a healthy lead and the chance to take the game completely away from Sri Lanka, but their second innings was not as straightforward. Sri Lanka kept picking up wickets and made India work for their runs. Padikkal and Rahul got starts but could not convert them, but it was Rishabh Pant who provided the spark. After Pant fell, the tourists could not add much, but the work done in the first innings meant they still managed to set Sri Lanka 372 for an unlikely win.

A fightback from 90/5 - Sri Lanka’s reply got off to a shaky start as India’s bowlers kept the pressure on and reduced them to 90/5. Just when it looked like it could get ugly pretty quickly, Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella put together a crucial 146-run partnership. Dickwella’s 80 and Dinusha’s maiden Test century helped the hosts avoid the follow-on. India still secured a 178-run lead, but the home side had at least managed to prevent the damage from becoming far worse.

Where it all began - After Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bat, India steadily took control as Sri Lanka never quite settled with the ball on the opening day. In the absence of Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal grabbed his opportunity with both hands at number 3, scoring his maiden Test hundred and going on to make 167. KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel also chipped in with valuable contributions as India piled on 462.

Reflecting on the win - KL Rahul says they are very relieved to get the win. Admits that they kept looking overhead at the clouds, as there was a bit of rain predicted later in the day. When he is asked whether the margin of victory was as comfortable as it appeared, he firstly calls it a genuinely great Test match, one played on a pitch that held up well across all five days. He notes there was something in it for the spinners, but also that batters who applied themselves properly could still score. He points to Sri Lanka's Sonal Dinusha as an example, someone who batted beautifully with a clear plan to work the spinners and use his feet. He adds that those who committed fully to a game plan generally found runs, and that seeing fast bowlers contribute wickets too, for both sides, made this an especially satisfying Test to be part of. On being asked whether India were banking on the second new ball during the Dinusha-Nuwantha stand, Rahul says the team knew the new ball would come and that it would be their next best option if wickets weren't forthcoming before that. But adds the mindset throughout the day was simply to keep hitting the right areas. India's approach, he says, was to stay patient and trust that once one partnership broke, two or three wickets would tend to follow in a cluster. On the lack of big individual scores in the match, he calls it a genuinely good Test wicket to bat on, one that rewarded batters who walked out with a clear plan for handling spin or pace. He contrasts that with those who went in hoping to figure things out once they got there, suggesting those were the ones who struggled given there was assistance in the pitch from the very start. He points out that most dismissals came inside the first 15 to 20 balls of an innings, which he feels tells the whole story. And just as the interview concludes, the heavens open up.

India go 1-0 up - In a crucial two-match series in the WTC final race, Shubman Gill’s men have taken the first step with a win in the country's 600th Test. Sri Lanka were playing catch-up for most of the game, and while they showed glimpses of a fight, India always had an answer.

Three wickets in the over for Manav Suthar. Asitha Fernando is the last man in.

Suthar is on a Hat Trick as India inch one more step closer. He has been instrumental with the ball in this Test match, picking up wickets at crucial moments. Lahiru Kumara walks in at number 10.

A warm applause for Sonal Dinusha as he trudges off. A magnificent ton in the first innings, and he backed it up with a defiant 84. India are now 3 wickets away from winning. Prabath Jayasuriya is in at number 9.