India are massive favourites to seal a 2-0 series clean sweep. They have made a number of changes to their side and will be hoping that their top order can give them a chance of sharing the series.
Key Stats - Padikkal Off a Massive Score
- Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha has scored 52, 100 & 84 in his last 4 knocks.
- Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva has scores of 120, 33, 34, 21 & 59 in his last 6 innings.
- Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya has figures of 3/31, 4/109 & 3/43 in 4 innings.
- India’s Devdutt Padikkal has scored 142*, 167 & 44 in his last 3 knocks.
- India’s KL Rahul has scores of 40, 82 & 35 in his last 3 innings.
- India’s Manav Suthar took 4/76 & 6/55 in the 1st Test.
India Dominant
India have won four and drawn one of their last Tests against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan Signs are Good
Hosts Sri Lanka showed plenty of fight in the first Test at Galle, producing a resilient performance against a strong Indian side. However, they ultimately fell short on the final day, losing by 165 runs while chasing a target of 372.
In the first innings, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 284 in reply to India’s commanding 462. Sonal Dinusha was the standout performer, scoring a well-compiled century, while Niroshan Dickwella added a valuable 80.
Captain Dhananjaya de Silva and the middle order offered some support, but Sri Lanka were unable to get close enough to India’s imposing first-innings total.
Their second innings brought another battling effort, but they were dismissed for 206. Dinusha again impressed with 84, while Dhananjaya played patiently for 59. However, the lower order could not build on those contributions against India’s spinners.
With the ball, Prabath Jayasuriya was Sri Lanka’s most effective performer, taking four wickets in the first innings and three more in the second. He made good use of the spin-friendly conditions and remained a key threat throughout the match.
Asitha Fernando also made an impact, claiming four wickets in India’s second innings. Sri Lanka’s bowlers improved as the match progressed, but they will need a sharper collective display if they are to level the series.
India Finding Top Form Again in Test format
India continue their push towards qualification for the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 final and took an important step by winning the first Test against Sri Lanka by 165 runs.
Shubman Gill’s side now lead the two-match series 1-0, although the victory was not entirely straightforward. Sri Lanka challenged well at different stages and rain also played a role, briefly raising the possibility of a draw. However, India’s spinners eventually broke through, led by a brilliant performance from Manav Suthar.
India’s first-innings total of 462 gave them control of the match. Devdutt Padikkal was the standout batter, scoring a superb 167 and building important partnerships with Gill, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. Padikkal also added 44 in the second innings and was named Player of the Match.
Rahul contributed a composed 82, while Dhruv Jurel scored a half-century. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Pant and Suthar also chipped in with useful runs to strengthen India’s position.
In the second innings India made 193, with Pant top-scoring through an aggressive 66 from 69 balls. That effort helped set Sri Lanka a demanding target of 372.
Suthar was the match-winner with the ball, taking four wickets in the first innings and six in the second to finish with a superb 10-wicket haul. Ravindra Jadeja claimed three wickets in the first innings, while Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna provided useful support.
India will now look to complete the series win, with their spin attack once again expected to play a major role.
Predicted Lineups &the Team news
The pitch should start fairly flat with consistent bounce, favouring first-innings batting. Warm, humid and mostly cloudy conditions are expected, with afternoon or evening rain interruptions possible.
Sri Lanka (possible XI): Kamil Mishara, Lahiru Udara, Sahan Arachchige, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella, Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando.
India (possible XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubhman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.