Team India vice-captain KL Rahul said that Team India were trying hard for a win on Day 5 in Galle against Sri Lanka because they were aware that a big shower was about to come. However, rain came down in Galle just minutes after India registered a 165-run victory in the Test match on Wednesday, August 19 as well. Chasing a target of 372, Sri Lanka resumed their second innings on Day 5 in Galle at 88-4 after 34 overs, but they were bowled out for 206 in 77.4 overs as left-arm spinner Manav Suthar registered 6-55 from 23.4 overs.
Speaking to host broadcaster SonyLiv after the game, Rahul said (via Rediff.com), “We knew one big shower was going to come and we didn’t want to delay the game. Just relieved honestly. They had one big partnership but we knew if we could break that, we could get into their tail. It was a great Test match.”
However, KL Rahul applauded the pitch and stated that the wicket played well on all five days of the match. Admitting that there was turn, he added that batters who applied themselves were rewarded.
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He said, “The wicket played really well all five days. There was something in it for the spinners, obviously. But batters who applied themselves did well. Someone who walked in there, thinking I’ll see what to do based on how the pitch behaves, those were the batters who struggled. If you went out there with a plan, you could do well.”
KL Rahul also hailed Devdutt Padikkal’s innings, called it the defining part of the Galle Test as well.
“I think that innings was for me the defining part of this Test match. The way he batted, the tempo that he batted with and to go on and get a big 100 in the first innings really set up the game for us. The conditions were really hot and it was challenging physically as well. So for him to get through that and firstly to get his first 100 is a special moment but to go on from there and get a big 100 and stitch partnerships with different players and get a big first innings total really set up this Test match,” KL Rahul said again.
