Young India spinner Manav Suthar emerged as one of the standout performers with the ball as India strengthened their position in the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. Suthar delivered an impressive spell in Sri Lanka’s first innings, finishing with figures of 4/76 from 21.4 overs. His consistent bowling played a crucial role in helping India dismiss the hosts for 284, giving the visitors a significant 178-run first-innings lead.

The left-arm spinner made an immediate impact on Day 3, picking up crucial wickets as Sri Lanka’s top order struggled against India’s bowling attack. Suthar dismissed veteran batter Dinesh Chandimal for four and Lahiru Udara for 27 before returning to complete a four-wicket haul.

Speaking after play on August 17, Suthar explained that India’s bowlers remained committed to their plans even when Sri Lanka’s batters managed to score runs and rotate the strike effectively. According to Suthar, the Indian attack understood that wickets would come if they maintained discipline instead of becoming overly aggressive in search of breakthroughs. He also acknowledged that Sri Lanka’s batters did a good job of rotating the strike, making it difficult for India to build sustained pressure.

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“We wanted to stick to our plans of the first session; the ball was turning in all sessions, and they played really well in the second session. There wasn’t much change in our approach,” Manav Suthar said.

Manav Suthar: We wanted to stick to our plans of first session, ball was turning in all sessions and they played really well in second session. There wasn’t much change in our approach. There were some umpire calls also… they rotated the strike really well. The ball didn’t get… pic.twitter.com/djN2Yq8UX2

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) August 17, 2026

He added that Sri Lanka’s ability to rotate the strike presented an additional challenge for the Indian bowlers. “There were some umpire calls also… they rotated the strike really well. The ball didn’t get that soft,” he explained.

Suthar’s performance came on a day when India’s bowling attack continued to deliver after the visitors posted 462 in their first innings. Devdutt Padikkal led the batting effort with a superb 167, while KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel also made valuable contributions.

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Ravindra Jadeja also created history during Sri Lanka’s innings by completing 350 Test wickets, becoming the fifth Indian bowler to reach the landmark. He also joined an elite group of players with at least 4,000 Test runs and 350 wickets. With a 178-run advantage, India now has a strong opportunity to dictate terms in the Test. Suthar’s disciplined spell has further strengthened an attack that has kept Sri Lanka under pressure throughout the opening Test.