The third day of the Galle Test began with a sensational bowling performance by the Indian team, putting immediate pressure on Sri Lanka. India had posted a formidable total of 462 runs in their first innings. As the hosts began their batting reply, the Indian bowling unit struck right in the opening over to dent their progress.
Mohammed Siraj Strikes Early
Sri Lankan opening batsman Nishan Fernando struggled against a moving delivery from Indian pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj and failed to open his account. Fernando edged the very second ball of the innings, and the catch went straight to Devdutt Padikkal stationed in the slips, inflicting an immediate setback on the batting side.
Strong Foundation by Indian Batters
Earlier in the match, Indian captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision that the batters justified completely. Devdutt Padikkal spearheaded the Indian innings with a magnificent knock of 167 runs. This marked Padikkal maiden century in Test cricket, anchoring the team total solidly.
Contributions from KL Rahul and Lower Order
Apart from Padikkal, KL Rahul also played a stellar role with the bat. After retiring hurt on the first day, Rahul returned to the crease on day two and added 5 more runs to finish with 82 runs in the innings. Dhruv Jurel supported the scoring rate by smashing a quickfire 51 runs off 68 deliveries, bringing up a fine half-century.
Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal Dismissals
Rishabh Pant failed to make a significant impact and could only contribute 39 runs before getting dismissed. Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal suffered an unfortunate dismissal via run-out after reaching a score of 32. For Sri Lanka, Prabath Jayasuriya was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 4 wickets during the Indian innings.
