India defeats Sri Lanka by 165 runs; Suthar and Padikkal turn out to be revelations for the team

XtraTime Newsdesk: India defeated Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test at Galle. Despite stout resistance from Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha, the Boys in Blue tightened the screws to dismiss the hosts for 206 runs in the final innings.

For India, Manav Suthar and Devdutt Padikkal were the undisputed stars of the match. Padikkal's brilliant 167 helped India post a commanding 462 in their first innings. He was well-supported by KL Rahul (82), Dhruv Jurel (51), and Rishabh Pant (39). In response, Sri Lanka was dismissed for 284, kept afloat by a strong stand between Niroshan Dickwella and Dinusha. The latter proved to be a true revelation for the Islanders; his batting prevented total humiliation, and his scores of 100 and 84 across both innings gave the Indians a genuine scare.

However, Suthar remained unfazed, claiming a magnificent 10-wicket haul in just his second Test match. His figures of 4/76 and 6/55 made for incredible reading, and with rain looming shortly after the conclusion, his efficient cleanup of the tail in the fourth innings proved crucial. With this, he has already got 17 wickets in his first two test matches.

Another defining moment of the match was Pant's onslaught in the third innings. His fiery 66 off 69 balls featured eight fours and two sixes. Those maximums made him the first Indian ever to hit 100 or more sixes in Test cricket, also becoming the fastest player globally to reach the milestone. Padikkal and Rahul contributed vital runs yet again to swell the lead, setting Sri Lanka a daunting target of 372 runs.

Ultimately, this was a clinical win for India despite a few minor hiccups. The Indian team will now head to the next Test in Colombo, looking to sweep the series and solidify their chances of reaching the World Test Championship Final.