Galle [Sri Lanka], August 17 (ANI): Spinners came to the party with regular strikes, as a sensational Manav Suthar spell sent half the Sri Lankan side back to the pavillion in their first innings at the end of the first session of the Galle Test on Monday.
At the end of session one, SL was 99/5, with Sonal Dinusha (14*) and Niroshan Dickwella (8*) unbeaten. The trail India by 363 runs.
Team India started the final day at 460/9, with Prasidh Krishna (1*) and Mohammed Siraj (12*) unbeaten.
Asitha Fernando struck early for Sri Lanka in the session, removing Prasidh Krishna for just two, with India skittling out for 462 runs.
While bowling, India was off to a fine start as Nishan Fernando poked at a delivery going away from him, handing it straight to Devdutt Padikkal in the first slip, going for a two-ball duck.
Lahiru Udara played with positive intent against pace, getting two boundaries in Siraj's sixth over, and he kept the scoreboard ticking with a rock-solid Dinesh Chandimal occupying the other end.
In the eighth over, spinner Manav Suthar struck on his first ball, removing Chandimal for a 16-ball four, with a ball which first drifted in, then turned away, brushing a part of batter's glove and landing into wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant's hands. SL was 27/2.
However, an unfazed Lahiru continued to heap punishment on pace and spin alike, with Kamindu Mendis also attacking Prasidh Krishna. SL reached the 50-run mark in 12 overs.
Suthar delivered India yet another wicket as a top-edge from Lahiru landed straight into Yashasvi Jaiswal's hands, removing him for a 44-ball 27, with six fours. SL was 53/3.
Spin really started to dominate as Kamindu fell to a poor shot against Kuldeep Yadav, with Shubman Gill taking a one-handed stunner while diving to his left at extra cover. SL's prolific run-getter was back for 25-ball 14 and they were 59/4.
Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha continued the rebuild, but it could not last long as Ravindra Jadeja also joined the wicket-taking party by getting Dhananjaya for a 41-ball 21 with an assist from KL Rahul. SL was 90/5.
SL ended their first session with half the team gone, with Sonal Dinusha and a returning Niroshan Dickwella unbeaten.
Brief Scores: India: 464: (Devdutt Padikkal 167, KL Rahul 82, Prabath Jayasuriya 4/109) vs Sri Lanka: 99/5 (Lahiru Udara 27, Dhananjaya de Silva 21, Manav Suthar 2/17). (ANI)
IND vs SL 1st Test: Suthar leads India's spin show as hosts restricted to 99/5 (Day 3, Lunch)
