Galle, Aug 2026 : Niroshan Dickwella and Sonal Dinusha produced a superb counter-attacking display on Monday, hitting unbeaten half-centuries to rescue Sri Lanka from a precarious position and mount a strong fightback against India on the third day of the first Test at the Galle International Stadium.
At the tea break, Sri Lanka had reached 214/5 in 57 overs, still trailing India’s imposing first-innings total of 462 by 248 runs. Dickwella was unbeaten on 71 off 102 balls, while Dinusha remained not out on 62 off 102 deliveries. The pair had negotiated 29 overs without losing a wicket, putting Sri Lanka in a considerably stronger position after the hosts resumed the session at 99/5.
Sri Lanka will need another 48 runs in the final session to avoid following on, but the unbroken sixth-wicket partnership has given the hosts renewed hope of reducing the first-innings deficit.
Dickwella, returning to Test cricket after a three-year absence, and Dinusha displayed remarkable composure on a turning surface. The pair combined solid defence with attacking strokeplay, particularly using sweeps and reverse-sweeps to counter India’s spinners.
Dickwella initially took the aggressive approach, repeatedly employing the sweep to disrupt the rhythm of India’s spin attack. India had opportunities to break the partnership but failed to capitalise on them.
In the 32nd over, left-arm spinner Manav Suthar struck Dickwella on the pads and India opted for a review after the appeal for lbw was turned down. However, ball-tracking showed that the impact was outside the off stump, meaning the decision remained not out.
Ravindra Jadeja came close to dismissing Dickwella three overs later. The Indian all-rounder appealed strongly for lbw and India reviewed the decision, but the ball-tracking technology showed the delivery would have bounced over the leg stump. It was India’s second unsuccessful review of the innings.
Dickwella was handed another reprieve shortly afterwards when KL Rahul dropped a difficult, high-edged chance at slip off Suthar. The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter made India pay for the missed opportunity.
He reached his 23rd Test half-century and his first in four years in the 46th over, completing the milestone with a flicked double off Jadeja. His innings provided the stability Sri Lanka desperately needed after losing five wickets for just 99 runs.
At the other end, Dinusha complemented Dickwella with a controlled and increasingly confident innings. The youngster mixed soft-handed defence with calculated aggression, particularly against the turning ball, and repeatedly used the sweep to put pressure back on India’s spinners.
Dinusha brought up his second Test fifty in the 49th over, reaching the landmark from 93 balls by sweeping wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav towards deep mid-wicket. He followed the milestone with an attacking statement, launching Suthar over deep mid-wicket for a clean six.
Indian captain Shubman Gill attempted to keep the pressure on by rotating his bowlers. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna were also brought back for short spells in an effort to exploit reverse swing, but the pitch offered limited assistance to the seamers.
As the session progressed, Dickwella and Dinusha grew increasingly comfortable, denying India the breakthrough it needed and ensuring that Sri Lanka ended the session on a positive note.
India had earlier posted 462, led by a commanding 167 from Devdutt Padikkal and 82 from KL Rahul. Sri Lanka’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Prabath Jayasuriya, who claimed four wickets for 109 runs, while Keshara Nuwantha took three for 175.
For Sri Lanka, Suthar was India’s most successful bowler with two wickets for 52 runs, while Siraj had one for 29.
With the final session still to come, Sri Lanka remain well behind India, but the unbeaten 124-run partnership between Dickwella and Dinusha has transformed the complexion of the innings. India will be eager to strike early and wrap up the lower order, while Sri Lanka will hope the pair can continue their resistance and push the hosts closer to avoiding the follow-on.
Brief Scores: India 462 in 116.4 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 167, KL Rahul 82; Prabath Jayasuriya 4/109, Keshara Nuwantha 3/175) lead Sri Lanka 214/5 in 57 overs (Niroshan Dickwella 71 not out, Sonal Dinusha 62 not out; Manav Suthar 2/52, Mohammed Siraj 1/29) by 248 runs.
