Manav Suthar's ten-for powers India to 165-run win over Sri Lanka in Galle Test
Synopsis
In just his second Test, left-arm spinner Manav Suthar claimed a 10-wicket haul to bowl India to a 165-run win over Sri Lanka at Galle — India's 600th Test match and the venue's 50th. Suthar's triple-wicket maiden in the 76th over ended Sri Lanka's resistance and announced the arrival of a generational spin talent.
Key Takeaways
Manav Suthar finished with match figures of 10-101 , including 6-55 in the second innings, in only his second Test match .
India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs at Galle International Stadium on 19 August 2025 .
The win gives India a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and 12 WTC points .
This was India's milestone 600th Test match and Galle's landmark 50th Test .
Devdutt Padikkal scored 167 in the first innings, giving India a 178-run first-innings lead.
Sonal Dinusha (84) and Dhananjaya de Silva (59) offered resistance but could not prevent the defeat.
Manav Suthar, the young left-arm spinner from Rajasthan, delivered a match-defining spell of 6-55 in the second innings to hand India a commanding 165-run victory over Sri Lanka on Day 5 of the opening Test at the Galle International Stadium on 19 August 2025. The win gives India a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and earns them 12 crucial World Test Championship (WTC) points in what was also their milestone 600th Test match.
Suthar's Historic Ten-Wicket Haul
In only his second Test appearance, Suthar finished with match figures of 10-101 — his first-ever ten-wicket haul — becoming the standout performer of a contest played on a sluggish, low-bounce Galle surface. He had already claimed a five-wicket haul in his debut Test, making him one of the rare bowlers to take a five-for in each of his first two Tests.
The decisive blow came in the 76th over, when Suthar produced a devastating triple-wicket maiden. He first drew a glove from Sonal Dinusha — who had batted flawlessly for 84 — to Dhruv Jurel at leg gully off a flighted delivery outside leg-stump. On the very next ball, he bowled Prabath Jayasuriya for a golden duck with an in-drifter that clipped the top of off-stump. Two balls later, switching to round the wicket, he found the outside edge of Lahiru Kumara, pouched behind by Rishabh Pant.
Sri Lanka's Resistance and the Morning Session
Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha gave Sri Lanka a fighting chance in the morning, stitching together a 95-run stand off 202 balls that tested India's patience. De Silva brought up his fifty by cutting Ravindra Jadeja through point, while Dinusha launched Kuldeep Yadav over deep midwicket for a six to reach his half-century.
It was Jadeja who broke the partnership, extracting sharp turn and bounce to catch de Silva's top edge on an attempted sweep, with Suthar taking a comfortable catch at short fine leg. De Silva departed for 59. Prasidh Krishna then removed Niroshan Dickwella for 10 — the wicketkeeper-batter feathering a back-of-a-length delivery behind to Pant. Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 206 in 77.4 overs.
India's Batting Foundations
India's victory was built on a formidable first-innings total of 462, anchored by Devdutt Padikkal's magnificent 167 — a knock that handed India a 178-run first-innings lead. Rishabh Pant's measured 66 in the second innings allowed India to set a target that the turning pitch made virtually unassailable. India's second-innings total of 193 left Sri Lanka needing 372 to win.
A Landmark Occasion at Galle
The match carried added significance as Galle International Stadium's landmark 50th Test match, a venue long regarded as one of Asia's most spin-friendly surfaces. India's comprehensive win here underlines their ability to exploit subcontinental conditions even away from home. This is also India's 600th Test match, a milestone that arrived with a statement performance.
The second and final Test of the series is expected to follow, with India firmly in the driver's seat. If Suthar maintains this trajectory, he is set to become one of the most closely watched young spinners in world cricket.
Point of View
But the bigger story is structural: India have found a left-arm spinner capable of taking ten wickets in a Test match in his second appearance — a depth of bowling resource that most Test nations would envy. The Galle pitch assisted spin, yes, but Suthar's triple-wicket maiden required craft, not just conditions. The question now is whether selectors manage his workload carefully enough to build a long-term asset, or whether the temptation to play him in every format erodes what is clearly a rare talent. Padikkal's 167 also deserves more attention than it will get — a first-innings anchor knock that made Suthar's heroics possible.
NationPress
19 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What were Manav Suthar's match figures in the Galle Test?
Manav Suthar finished with match figures of 10-101, including 4-46 in the first innings and 6-55 in the second innings. It was his first-ever ten-wicket haul, achieved in only his second Test match.
By how many runs did India beat Sri Lanka in the Galle Test?
India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs at the Galle International Stadium on 19 August 2025. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 206 in their second innings, chasing a target of 372.
How many WTC points did India earn from this win?
India earned 12 World Test Championship (WTC) points from the 165-run victory over Sri Lanka. The win also gave India a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
What was the significance of this Test match beyond the result?
The Galle Test was India's milestone 600th Test match and also the Galle International Stadium's landmark 50th Test. Both milestones made it a historic occasion in international cricket.
Who were the top performers for Sri Lanka in the second innings?
Sonal Dinusha top-scored with 84 and Dhananjaya de Silva contributed 59, sharing a 95-run partnership that briefly threatened India's plans. However, Suthar's triple-wicket maiden in the 76th over ended their resistance.
