Sri Lanka made an early breakthrough in India’s second innings as Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a duck on Day 3 of the first Test in Galle. The young opener attempted an aggressive cut shot but failed to get into the right position, giving Sri Lanka an important opening after India had secured a sizeable first-innings lead.
Asitha Fernando struck with just the third delivery of India’s second innings. Jaiswal moved back to play the cut but showed limited foot movement as the ball turned sharply. He managed only an edge, with wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella completing an excellent diving catch to send the Indian opener back to the pavilion.
The dismissal marked Jaiswal’s seventh duck in Test cricket. Since the start of 2024, no specialist batter has been dismissed for a duck more often than the Indian left-hander. Only a handful of players, including Jasprit Bumrah, Jayden Seales, Mohammed Siraj, and Asitha Fernando, have recorded more ducks during the same period.
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Despite the unwanted statistic, Jaiswal remains an important part of India’s Test plans. After 30 Tests, he has accumulated 2,567 runs at an impressive average of 47.53. However, his recent inconsistency has raised questions, particularly with India looking to strengthen their campaign in the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
“Yashasvi jaiswal Got out on 0 runs 😢
He is good batsmen but he needs to be consistent.#SLvIND pic.twitter.com/q7cQeFsMch— Indian Cricket Team (@criclover451807) August 18, 2026
Jaiswal had also endured a difficult start to the Sri Lanka tour. During India’s practice game against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo, he was dismissed for a duck in the first innings before responding with an unbeaten 61 in the second.
He looked far more comfortable during India’s first innings in Galle. Jaiswal played his natural attacking game and appeared to be building momentum before being run out for 32 off 37 balls.
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His second-innings dismissal was different. The pitch had become increasingly worn, with more rough patches offering greater assistance to the spinners. After shifting his weight back to play the cut, Jaiswal failed to move his feet sufficiently. The ball turned more than expected, taking the outside edge and carrying to Dickwella.
With India holding a substantial lead, Jaiswal’s early dismissal has added an interesting twist to the Test. Sri Lanka will hope the breakthrough opens the door for a fightback, while India will need their middle order to absorb the pressure and extend their advantage further.
