Jadeja, Prasidh Krishna strike to leave Sri Lanka 175/6 at lunch, India eye 1st Test win
Synopsis
India are on the cusp of a landmark win in their 600th Test match at Galle. A 95-run stand between de Silva and Dinusha threatened to drag the game into the final session, but Jadeja and Prasidh Krishna's strikes have left Sri Lanka 175/6 — still 197 runs short — with the new ball looming.
Key Takeaways
Sri Lanka were reduced to 175/6 in 67 overs at lunch on Day 5 of the first Test at Galle International Stadium on 19 August .
India lead by 197 runs , needing four more wickets for victory in their 600th Test match .
Dhananjaya de Silva (59) and Sonal Dinusha added 95 runs off 202 balls for the fifth wicket before India struck.
Ravindra Jadeja dismissed de Silva; Prasidh Krishna removed Niroshan Dickwella for 10.
Prasidh Krishna holds figures of 2/16 ; Manav Suthar has taken 2/46 .
The new ball is due in 13 overs , giving India a potent weapon in the second session.
Ravindra Jadeja and Prasidh Krishna claimed a wicket apiece as India tightened their grip on the first Test at the Galle International Stadium, reducing Sri Lanka to 175/6 in 67 overs at the lunch break on Day 5 on 19 August. India, who lead by 197 runs, are firmly on course for a commanding victory — and one that would arrive in their historic 600th Test match.
Morning Session: De Silva and Dinusha Defy India
Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha — the centurion from Sri Lanka's first innings — showed tremendous patience in the opening 90 minutes, stitching together a 95-run fifth-wicket stand off 202 deliveries. De Silva reached his half-century by cutting Jadeja through point for a boundary, while Dinusha cleared deep midwicket off Kuldeep Yadav to bring up his fifty in style.
The partnership frustrated India, who had conceded just 91 runs in the first 33 overs of the day. The variable bounce on the Galle surface, however, was always likely to produce a moment — and Jadeja delivered it.
Jadeja and Krishna Break the Stand
Jadeja extracted sharp turn and bounce with a fuller ball angled into the stumps, catching de Silva's top edge on an attempted sweep. Manav Suthar, positioned at short fine leg, pouched the catch comfortably to send de Silva back for 59.
The breakthrough proved decisive. Krishna, bowling with sustained pace and heat, removed wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella for 10 shortly after. Dickwella, visibly uncomfortable at the crease, shuffled across his stumps to a back-of-a-length delivery outside leg on the final ball of the 60th over, feathering an edge through to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.
India's Milestone Match in the Balance
This encounter carries additional significance — it marks India's 600th Test match, a landmark occasion that the team will be keen to mark with a win. Keshara Nuwantha joined the unbeaten Dinusha (65 not out) to safely negotiate the remaining overs before the interval, but with the new ball just 13 overs away, India's pace attack will be eager to wrap up the tail in the second session.
Scorecard at Lunch
India 462 & 193 lead Sri Lanka 284 & 175/6 in 67 overs (Sonal Dinusha 65 not out, Dhananjaya de Silva 59; Prasidh Krishna 2/16, Manav Suthar 2/46) by 197 runs. India need four more wickets to seal victory.
Point of View
And Krishna's sustained back-of-a-length pressure on a jittery Dickwella. The new ball in the second session is the decisive variable. If India take it early and apply it well, the match ends before tea. If the lower order digs in, a nerveless final session beckons. Either way, sealing a win in India's 600th Test would make this more than just a series opener.
NationPress
19 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current match situation in the India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test at Galle?
At lunch on Day 5, Sri Lanka were 175/6 in 67 overs, still 197 runs behind India's combined total. India need four more wickets to win the first Test at Galle International Stadium.
Who took wickets for India in the morning session on Day 5?
Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Dhananjaya de Silva for 59, while Prasidh Krishna removed Niroshan Dickwella for 10. Krishna's overall figures stand at 2/16 and Manav Suthar has taken 2/46.
Why is this Test match historically significant for India?
This is India's 600th Test match, making it a landmark occasion in Indian cricket history. India will be keen to mark the milestone with a victory at Galle.
What was the key partnership in Sri Lanka's second innings?
Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha put on 95 runs off 202 deliveries for the fifth wicket, providing Sri Lanka's most sustained resistance of the innings before Jadeja broke the stand.
What happens next in the match?
The new ball becomes available in 13 overs, which India are expected to take to target Sri Lanka's lower order in the second session. India need four wickets to complete the win.
