Mumbai : Manav Suthar delivered a standout performance in just his second Test, taking 10 wickets as India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the opening match of the series.
Rising left-arm spinner Manav Suthar claimed a match haul of 10 wickets in his second Test as a dominant India completed a 165-run thrashing of Sri Lanka in the opening Test of the two-match series, in Galle on Wednesday.
Chasing an improbable 372, the hosts crumbled for 206 all out in 77.4 overs in the post-lunch session as Suthar claimed his maiden five-wicket haul en route to his impressive 6/55. He was well-supported by veteran Ravindra Jadeja who bagged 2/16.
The 24-year-old left-arm spinner, who made his Test debut against Afghanistan in June, was also the destroyer-in-chief in the Lankan first innings as his 4/76 helped India bowl out Sri Lanka for 284 all-out in reply to the visitors 462.
Chasing a distant 372, Dinusha (65) and Keshara Nuwantha (8) were holding the fort for Sri Lanka but the Indians will be hoping to wrap the proceedings at the earliest in the coming session.
Starting from a wobbly 84 for four, the end looked nigh for the home side. But Dinusha and De Silva (59 off 151 balls), the two overnight batters, added 95 runs off 202 balls to deny the Indians success for well over an hour into the opening session of the day. Just like the Indian batters, sweep too was the Lankan pair’s preferred way to tackle the spinners.
Jadeja looked easily the best Indian spinner on the day, putting his body behind the ball and getting a good amount of purchase from the surface. Manav Suthar did not bowl too many overs but looked sharp but left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav was quite flat, failing to get much out of an abrasive deck and he will surely want to improve upon this effort. It was quite astounding to watch him rather go through the motions. Operating from around the wicket also snuffed out the leg before option for him.
But amid the mighty push from other Indian bowlers, De Silva reached his fifty in 125 balls and a little later Dinusha, who made a 100 in the first innings, too joined his captain. However, he brought up the landmark with more flourish, a slog-swept six off Kuldeep.
But Jadeja found a way past the defence of De Silva. The veteran left-arm spinner managed to eke out a bit more bounce and De Silva’s top-edged sweep ended in the hands of Suthar at short fine leg.
Niroshan Dickwella, who played a sensible innings in Sri Lanka’s first dig, appeared to be in a hurry to knock off the remaining runs. There were a couple of desperate slog sweeps against Kuldeep and Jadeja before eventually succumbing to pacer Prasidh Krishna.
Dickwella tried to manufacture a shot over covers while giving himself some room off Prasidh, but all he managed was a healthy edge to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. But Dinusha and Nuwantha managed to see off the next 30 minutes with pluck and luck.(PTI)
1st Test: Suthar’s 10-wicket masterclass stuns Sri Lanka
