India reduced Sri Lanka to 84/4 in pursuit of 372 after 14 wickets fell on day four of the first Test at Galle on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Eight of those wickets went to fast bowlers on a day that did not follow the usual expectation of spin dominating the later stages of a Galle Test.
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Sri Lanka require another 288 runs on the final day, while India need six wickets. Dhananjaya de Silva was unbeaten on 31 and Sonal Dinusha was 25 not out at stumps, according to the match report from Galle.
India bowled out for 193 after top-order setbacks
India were dismissed for 193 in 48.5 overs as Sri Lanka prevented the visitors from batting the match completely out of reach. Yashasvi Jaiswal fell from the third delivery of the innings, while KL Rahul and Shubman Gill were also dismissed before India could establish control through quick runs.
Rishabh Pant made 62 and Devdutt Padikkal scored 44, but only three India batters reached double figures. Pant used sweeps, reverse sweeps and aggressive movement at the crease before Sri Lanka removed him with a short-ball plan.
Padikkal said India had tried to put pressure back on Sri Lanka by scoring quickly. Padikkal also said the pitch had begun turning from the stumps rather than only from wider lines, a development that could assist India’s attempt to take the remaining wickets.
Supplemental editorial cricket visual for India Take Control After Pace-Heavy 14-Wicket Day in Galle.
Sri Lanka’s seamers alter the expected Galle pattern
Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara shared six wickets as Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers drove India’s second-innings collapse. Fernando took 4/31, Kumara claimed 2/28 and left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya finished with 3/43.
Sri Lanka bowling coach Ryan van Niekerk credited Fernando for maintaining pressure and Kumara for adding energy during the decisive spell. Van Niekerk said Sri Lanka’s bowling group had been proactive with its plans and execution.
Supplemental editorial cricket visual for India Take Control After Pace-Heavy 14-Wicket Day in Galle.
The success of the seamers was a notable feature of the fourth day. Fast bowlers from both teams collected eight of the 14 wickets, despite the surface also offering increasing turn.
India strike four times in the final session
India combined pace and spin to leave Sri Lanka 84/4 by stumps. Mohammed Siraj and Manav Suthar made the initial breakthroughs before Prasidh Krishna and Ravindra Jadeja maintained the pressure in fading light.
Suthar finished the day with 2/30 and Siraj had 1/11. Suthar extracted substantial turn, while India’s fast bowlers used pace to keep Sri Lanka’s chase under pressure.
Final-day equation at Galle
India need six wickets on day five, while Sri Lanka need 288 more runs to complete the 372-run chase. The unbeaten partnership between Dhananjaya and Dinusha gives Sri Lanka resistance, but India retain the stronger position after the hosts lost four early wickets.
| Team | Innings | Score |
|---|---|---|
| India | First innings | 462 |
| Sri Lanka | First innings | 284 |
| India | Second innings | 193 |
| Sri Lanka | Second innings | 84/4 |
Sri Lanka need 288 runs. India need six wickets.
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