IND Vs SL Highlights, 1st Test Day 4: Sri Lanka 84/4 At Stumps, Need 288 More For Record Chase

That’s stumps on Day 4, and India remain firmly in the driver’s seat! Sri Lanka finish on 84/4 after 34 overs, still needing 288 runs for a remarkable win. Dhananjaya de Silva is unbeaten on 31 off 73, while Sonal Dinusha has provided valuable resistance with 25 off 36. India need just six more wickets to go 1-0 up, setting up a thrilling final day at Galle. With rain also potentially in the mix, plenty could still unfold when play resumes at 9:45 AM tomorrow.

Hello, we’re back with another live blog! It’s India vs Sri Lanka, Day 4, so stay tuned for all the live updates.

The India vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test will be telecast live on the Sony Sports Network and live streamed on the SonyLIV app and website.

India tightened their grip on the first Test against Sri Lanka on Day 3, taking a 178-run first-innings lead after bowling the hosts out for 284 at Galle. Sri Lanka were reduced to 90/5 before Niroshan Dickwella and Sonal Dinusha mounted a fightback with a 146-run partnership.

Dickwella scored 80 before Prasidh Krishna broke the stand, while Dinusha went on to register his maiden Test century, reaching three figures off 168 balls. India’s left-arm spinners then wrapped up the innings, with Manav Suthar taking 4/76 and Ravindra Jadeja claiming 3/57, including his 350th Test wicket.

India had posted 462, powered by Devdutt Padikkal’s 167 and KL Rahul’s 82. Rain and strong winds brought an early close to play, leaving India firmly in control.

Australia Squad For Second Test Vs Bangladesh: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

We are underway in India’s second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul are at the crease, with Jaiswal on strike. Asitha Fernando has the new ball for Sri Lanka.

Big wicket for Sri Lanka! Asitha Fernando gets Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck. Jaiswal chases a wide delivery without moving his feet and edges it behind, where Niroshan Dickwella takes a sharp low catch. A dream start for Sri Lanka as India lose one of their key batters for 0 off 3 balls.

Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul are building the innings nicely. Prabath Jayasuriya to Rahul, and it's a six. Tossed up by the left-arm spinner and Rahul gets right to the pitch of the ball, launching it straight back over the bowler’s head for a towering maximum.

Huge escape for Rahul! Jayasuriya gets one to drift in and beats him on the inside edge before striking the pads. Rahul isn't convinced about the review, but Devdutt Padikkal urges him to take it.

No bat involved, impact is in line, but ball-tracking shows the delivery missing the top of the stumps. Rahul survives and gives Padikkal a big hug in relief.

KL Rahul's aggressive knock came to an end for 35 off 47 balls (two fours, two sixes) when he perished trying to loft Prabath Jayasuriya over the infield. Capitalizing on astute captaincy by DDS that brought mid-on in, Rahul shimmied down the track only to have his bat twist at the point of impact off the outer half. The miscued aerial shot drifted toward deepish mid-off, where substitute fielder Milan Rathnayake comfortably settled underneath it to complete the catch

Shubman Gill's struggles against Prabath Jayasuriya continued as he fell lbw for 8 off 20 balls, marking his second failure of the Test. Attempting a sweep against an 82.5 kph delivery that drifted in, pitched on a length around middle, and spun away, Gill missed the ball completely and was struck flush on the hip/tummy. After a brief chat with DDP, he opted for a review, but UltraEdge confirmed no under-edge and ball-tracking lit up three reds showing it hitting the top of middle and off, costing India a review.

Devdutt Padikkal's impressive knock came to a heartbreaking end as he was trapped lbw by Keshara Nuwantha for 44 off 75 balls, missing out on a well-deserved fifty by just 6 runs. Coming round the wicket, Nuwantha fired in a quicker 90.6 kph delivery that pitched, straightened, and spun away enough to beat Padikkal's outside edge as he stayed back to flick. Though DDP immediately reviewed the umpire's finger, UltraEdge confirmed no bat was involved, and Hawk-Eye flashed three reds with the ball crashing into middle and leg.

India endured an eventful morning session after Jaiswal fell for a duck in the opening over, bringing KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal together to add 65 runs at a brisk pace following their first-innings 162-run stand. Sri Lanka's proactive approach yielded rewards as Prabath Jayasuriya removed KL Rahul for 35 with an aerial shot and trapped Shubman Gill lbw for 8, before Keshara Nuwantha pinned a fluent Padikkal lbw for 44 just before lunch, leaving India effectively 294/4 at the break.

Dhruv Jurel's brief stay came to an end as he was caught behind by Niroshan Dickwella off Asitha Fernando for 7 off 15 balls, leaving India half down. Banged in short and sliding down leg, Jurel shaped up to pull a delivery that flicked his thigh-pad on its way through. Though umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat initially shook his head, Sri Lanka's confident review proved decisive when UltraEdge detected a small spike as the ball passed a tiny inside edge, vindicating the appeal and dismantling India's lower-middle order.

Rishabh Pant shifted gears effortlessly, pulling a length delivery from Lahiru Kumara angling into his body over long leg for a maximum. Nuwantha leaped as high as he could near the ropes, but could only watch the ball sail over the boundary as the milestone stroke brought up Pant's half-century, with the explosive wicketkeeper-batter continuing to push India's lead forward.

Lahiru Kumara's short-ball barrage finally paid off as he removed an aggressive Rishabh Pant for a brilliant 66 off 69 balls, caught by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella. Having previously punished the short deliveries, Pant shuffled across on a wide, short-pitched delivery from Kumara but failed to get into a proper position for the pull. The stroke resulted in a feeble top-edge that looped harmlessly behind the stumps, leaving Pant sprawling on the floor and watching ruefully as Dickwella gleefully accepted the catch. Despite his dismissal coming right at the drinks break, Pant's explosive knock—featuring eight fours and two sixes—had already put India firmly in the driver's seat.

Ravindra Jadeja's brief cameo came to an end for 9 off 19 balls as Lahiru Kumara continued his relentless short-ball strategy to pick up another wicket. Attempting a pull from deep inside his crease against a sharp, rising delivery, Jadeja miscued a top-edge that flew toward deep backward square leg. Substitute fielder Pasindu Sooriyabandara covered ground brilliantly, running to his left and diving to clutch a superb two-handed catch, further chipping away at India's batting lineup as they chase a lead approaching 400.

Dinesh Chandimal sustained an injury while fielding during the first session of the day fourth day, hitting his shoulder and head hard on the ground. He was taken for a precautionary scan, which was clear, with no signs of internal injury. Chandimal was subsequently assessed for concussion by the doctor and team physiotherapist on the ground and was ruled out after the assessment. Pasindu Sooriyabandara will replace Dinesh Chandimal as the concussion replacement. The match referee has approved the concussion replacement.

Asitha Fernando kept Sri Lanka's short-ball strategy paying dividends by dismissing Manav Suthar for 9 off 25 balls, caught behind by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella. Bowling from around the wicket, Fernando dug it in short with the ball tailing into the left-hander. Suthar attempted a desperate swipe across the line but managed only a faint glove tickle, allowing Dickwella to move slightly to his right and pouch the catch safely.

Prabath Jayasuriya heaped further misery on India, trapping Kuldeep Yadav to leave the visitors nine down. Utilizing the wear and tear on the pitch, Jayasuriya landed a length delivery on the rough that spun in sharply. Kuldeep attempted a defensive push with an angled bat but could only manage a low outside edge, allowing Dhananjaya de Silva to react quickly to his right and pouch a sharp two-handed catch low to the ground.

Asitha Fernando wrapped up India's innings for 193 by dismissing Prasidh Krishna for 2, setting Sri Lanka a target of 372 to win in the final innings. Continuing the relentless short-ball tactic from round the wicket, Fernando dug another one in short which prompted Krishna to clear his rooms and go for an ambitious pull shot. The batter miscued it completely, sending the ball towering high into the night air where Lahiru Kumara tracked it well at mid-on and settled underneath to take the final catch comfortably.

As dark clouds gather over Galle and a steady drizzle sets in, groundstaff have rushed covers onto the field, bringing tyres to weigh them down as the players break for tea. What began as a precautionary measure has quickly escalated with the worsening weather, prompting a delayed start to the final session and leaving the stadium shrouded in gloomy skies.

The wait is finally over! The covers are coming off, the pitch is being uncovered and the stumps are back in place. The umpires have also been seen speaking with the curator, and there is now a clear update, the third session is set to begin at 3:30 PM. Fans won’t have to wait much longer for the action to resume.

We’re back underway for the final session of Day 4 in Galle! The covers are completely off and the Sri Lankan openers are out in the middle, with Nishan Fernando on strike and Lahiru Udara at the non-striker’s end. Mohammed Siraj has the new ball in hand, with two slips and a gully in place. India have set a decent 371-run target, so Siraj will be looking to make another early breakthrough and put Sri Lanka under immediate pressure.

Five overs are done and Sri Lanka have moved to 9/0. Nishan Madushka has settled in with 6 off 24 balls, while Lahiru Udara has scored 1 from seven. Mohammed Siraj has been tidy and probing, finishing his first spell with figures of 3-1-6-0. India will be hoping the pressure eventually brings a breakthrough.

Siraj strikes again! Nishan Madushka is gone for 6, dismissed by the short-ball trap that worked so well in the first innings. The Sri Lankan opener went for the pull but could only top-edge it towards long leg, where Prasidh Krishna held a sharp low catch. Siraj has now removed Madushka twice in the Test, and Sri Lanka are 13/1 after seven overs.

Suthar strikes in his very first over! Pasindu Sooriyabandara is trapped lbw for a golden duck after India successfully review the on-field decision. The ball went straight on, beat the inside edge and crashed into the leg stump according to ball-tracking. What a start for Suthar, who has now given India their second wicket in quick succession. Sri Lanka are 14/2, with Kamindu Mendis walking in.

Prasidh Krishna joins the party! The pacer strikes immediately after a chat with captain Gill, removing Kamindu Mendis for 2. A short-of-length delivery bounced more than Mendis expected, and his loose slash produced an outside edge straight to KL Rahul at first slip. Sri Lanka are now three down for just 21, with India firmly on top.

Sixteen overs are done and Sri Lanka have moved to 34/3. Dhananjaya de Silva is unbeaten on 7 off 20, while Lahiru Udara has reached 15 from 39 balls. Ravindra Jadeja has kept things tight, conceding just six runs from his three overs as India continue to build pressure.

Suthar strikes again, and this one comes with plenty of drama! Lahiru Udara is dismissed for 16 after edging a delivery towards gully, where Dhruv Jurel took a brilliant low catch. The third umpire took a close look at whether Jurel’s fingers were underneath the ball and eventually gave the decision in India’s favour. Udara wasn’t convinced and took his time leaving the field, but Sri Lanka are now 49/4. Suthar has two wickets and India are tightening their grip.

Sri Lanka have moved to 75/4 after 30 overs, with Dhananjaya de Silva unbeaten on 28 off 57 and Sonal Dinusha providing useful support with 19 off 28. Prasidh Krishna has been excellent, conceding just 12 runs in seven overs while picking up a wicket. India continue to keep the pressure on, but this partnership is beginning to offer Sri Lanka some stability.