Sri Lanka staring down the barrel in Galle Test

Sri Lanka finds itself in a precarious position after being forced to endure a heavy defeat in the inaugural Test against India in Galle. With the innings tally standing at 84-4 at the close of day four, the hosts are chasing an intimidating total of 372. The top order's lackluster performance in the first innings appears to have continued without much improvement, struggling to make an impact as India's formidable attack showed little resistance.

Fortunately, Sri Lanka's captain Dhananjaya de Silva escaped a possible catastrophe when he was caught behind off a no ball. However, the batting display from the team has been marred by a lack of discipline and purpose. Nishan Fernando, chasing a wide delivery from Mohammed Siraj, was caught in the deep third man for a duck. Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who was brought into the game as a concussion substitute due to the injury of Dinesh Chandimal, faced an onslaught of pressure in his Test debut.

Kamindu Mendis was then dismissed leg before by Manav Suthar off the first ball, while Lahiru Udara faced controversy when the third umpire concluded that Dhruv Jurel had completed a catch cleanly.

Despite these setbacks, Sri Lanka managed to hold on to their first innings total without any further harm. De Silva and Sonal Dinusha, the centurion in the first innings, guided the team through to stumps. However, they now face an uphill battle on the final day, as the pitch begins to favor the spinners. Earlier, India managed to dismiss Sri Lanka for 193 in their second innings, with Rishabh Pant's explosive half-century being the highlight of the game.

Pant, known for his aggressive approach, scored an impressive 66 runs off just 69 deliveries, including eight fours and two sixes. His exceptional performance saw him become the first Indian to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket, surpassing the previous record of 100 sixes by Adam Gilchrist in 130 innings. Pant's achievement was all the more remarkable as he reached the milestone in just 89 deliveries, surpassing Devdutt Padikkal's previous record of 100 sixes in 130 innings.

In the opening over of the second innings, Devdutt Padikkal, who had replaced Yashasvi Jaiswal as a late injury replacement, made an assured start to the innings. Walking out to bat immediately after Jaiswal's early dismissal, Padikkal scored a well-deserved 44 runs. For Sri Lanka, Asitha Fernando proved to be the most effective bowler, claiming four wickets.

Despite their efforts on the field, India's commanding lead of 178 in the first innings continued to provide them with a substantial cushion, setting Sri Lanka a formidable fourth innings target.