Despite the draw in Colombo, India's team set a record by winning the series in Sri Lanka

India defeated Sri Lanka in the first match of the two-match series in Galle, winning by a margin of 165 runs, thereby increasing its score to 1-0. Before this victory, the Indian team held fifth place in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 table, with 48.15% of points after 9 matches.

After the win in the Galle match, the Indian team's percentage of points rose to 53.33%, but it still holds fifth place. The second and final match of this series is scheduled for August 23 at the SSC ground in Colombo. India aims to win this series 2-0.

In the WTC standings, India is still behind Bangladesh, which is in fourth place with 66.67% of points after 5 matches, having secured 3 wins. India has 8 test matches left to play, but the probability of making a mistake is extremely low.

If the Indian team wins all remaining matches, its percentage of points will reach 74.07%, which could almost guarantee it a spot in the WTC final. However, even a single defeat could drastically change the entire situation.

With one loss, India's percentage of points will drop to 68.52%; with two losses, it will fall to 62.96%; and after three losses, it will be 57.41%. If India wins 5 out of 8 matches and draws 2, its PCT will be 61.11%.

After the visit to Sri Lanka, the Indian team will travel to New Zealand, where it is set to play two test matches. This tour does not promise to be easy, as New Zealand has previously presented serious challenges to India.

Subsequently, the Indian team will participate in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia, which will last for five matches. Australia also poses a serious threat to India, so these matches cannot be considered simple either. An Indian victory over Australia with a score of 4-1 or 3-1 would put the team in a very strong position.

Currently, Australia leads the table with 77.78% of points, while South Africa has 75%, New Zealand has 72.22%, and Bangladesh has 66.67%, ahead of India. Therefore, India needs not only to win its matches but also to monitor the results of other teams. In the WTC, 12 points are awarded for every test victory, 4 for a draw, and zero for a loss, meaning that every defeat has a significant impact on the percentage of points.

The Indian team secured a convincing victory over Sri Lanka on the fifth day of the Galle Test, defeating the team by 165 runs. With this win, India gained a 1-0 advantage in the series. The next match for the Indian team is scheduled for Sunday, August 23rd.

Players from both sides showed great form in the match. Devdhadhath Padikkal impressed with his play in the first half of the match, while Manav Suthar demonstrated outstanding performance with the ball. Manav Suthar helped the team prevent Sri Lanka from mounting a comeback, taking four and six wickets respectively in two innings.

Captain Shubman Gill's decision to bat after the toss proved justified. Devdhadhath Padikkal, coming out to bat third, played a memorable innings, scoring his first century of his career and accumulating an impressive 167 runs.

India set a target of 372 runs. In the first innings, the Indian team scored 462 runs, to which Sri Lanka could only manage 284 runs, giving India a strong lead of 178 runs. In the second innings, the Indian batsmen played aggressively and set a target of 372 runs. Bowler Rishabh Pant achieved an explosive half-century milestone and became the fastest bowler in the world to take 100 Test sixes.

Sri Lanka's second innings could not withstand the Indian bowlers. The second and final Test between India and Sri Lanka will take place on August 23rd at the SSC stadium in Colombo. Following this, India is set to play two Test matches against New Zealand, and the cycle will conclude with the home Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia next year.

According to the latest ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 table, Australia confidently holds the first position, having accumulated 84 points out of 77.77% PCT in 9 matches with seven victories. South Africa is in second place, having earned 36 points and 75.00% PCT in four matches. New Zealand occupies third place with 52 points and 72.22% PCT after four wins in six matches, while Bangladesh is in fourth place with 28 points and 66.67% PCT after three wins in five matches.

After winning the Galle Test, the Indian team moved to fifth place in the rankings, accumulating 64 points with 53.33% PCT in 10 matches, including 5 wins, 4 losses, and one draw. Sri Lanka, having lost to India, dropped to sixth place, with only 20 points and 33.33% PCT after five matches, winning just one. At the bottom of the table, England is in seventh place with 24.36% PCT, having gathered 38 points in 13 matches. Pakistan is in eighth place with 22.22% PCT, holding 16 points in 6 matches, and West Indies is in last ninth place with 20.83% PCT, having collected 30 points in 12 matches.

On the third day of the Test match between India and Sri Lanka, Indian bowlers increased the pressure on the home team, but they faced unexpected resistance. Young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar completely dismantled the top order of the Sri Lankan side with his spin. By lunchtime, the home team had lost five wickets, scoring only 99 runs, and it seemed their innings would end quickly after replying to the first innings total of 462.

Dinusha demonstrated incredible patience against the Indian bowlers, recording his first international century. Along with experienced Niroshan Dickwella, he built a partnership of 146 runs for the sixth wicket, forcing India to wait long for the next wicket. In the end, Sri Lanka was brought to 284 runs in the first innings, but India gained a significant advantage of 178 runs.

Sri Lanka needed a strong start to post a large total in the first innings, but Mohammed Siraj dismissed Fernando on the second ball, giving India a brilliant start. Fernando's shot could not counter Siraj's delivery, which was outside off and had lift, and the ball went into the hands of Devdhadh Pathikkala. After this, Manav Suthar took charge.

From the very first ball, Dimuth Chandimal received a slight edge that went into Rishabh Pant's gloves. Then Suthar began troubling the Sri Lankan batsmen by constantly varying the line, trajectory, depth, and turn of the ball. He made the ball fly in the air at speeds exceeding 85 kilometers per hour, extracting help from the fielders.

Lahiru Udara initially countered him for some time and played several impressive pull and cut shots, but Suthar eventually found a way to dismiss him. A weak shot led to Yashwish Kaisaval catching it in the gully. Chamindu Mendis also did not last long. His lofted shot against Kuldeep Yadav's delivery became a victim of Shubman Gill's excellent catch. Captain Danjaya de Silva was caught by Kel Rahul in the slip off Ravindra Jadeja's bowling.

At 99 runs for five wickets, India's position was very solid. However, then came Dinusha's innings.

But in cricket, the competition is not just about statistics. Sri Lanka needed a batsman at that moment who could understand the situation and stabilize the innings. Sonal Dinusha did exactly that. Along with Niroshan Dickwella, he did not rush to attack the Indian spinners. Both chose their shots very cautiously. The sweep became their favorite weapon, and both effectively drove balls coming down the stumps to the boundary using their feet.

Dickwella reached a half-century off 67 balls, while Dinusha required 92 balls to reach that mark. But this slowness became their strength. They fought to preserve wickets rather than score runs. In the second session, Sri Lanka added 116 runs without losing a wicket.

Dickwella capitalized on an opportunity, getting a chance at a duck when his personal score was 20. On a Suthar ball, Kel Rahul could not reach his drive in the slip. However, in the second innings, Dickwella's fate was not kind. When he hit a ball from Krishna, it flew straight into Rishabh Pant's gloves. Dickwella was dismissed on 80 runs off 115 balls. Sri Lanka felt again that the innings was about to end, but Dinusha remained.

He did not let the pressure get over him and gradually approached his first international century. He reached a three-digit score off 167 balls. This was his first century in international cricket and extremely important for Sri Lanka's innings. But as soon as he completed the century, the story ended on the next ball.

On Ravindra Jadeja's bowling, Dinusha was given LBW. 100 runs, 168 balls—a magnificent innings that saved Sri Lanka.

Dinusha's innings stabilized Sri Lanka, but the biggest story of this innings was Manav Suthar's performance. Suthar, playing for India for the first time in Test cricket, demonstrated confidence against the top order of Sri Lanka, which is a great achievement for this Test. He took four wickets for 76 runs. His teammate Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets for 57 runs. Both left-arm spinners kept the Sri Lankan innings under constant pressure.

The method of Dinusha and Dickwella differed from the approach of other Sri Lankan batsmen. Many top-order batsmen tried to play shots away from the body and got into difficult catches. In contrast, the sixth-wicket partnership showed that facing good spin requires not only aggression but also patience and technique. India started the day with a score of 460/9 and was brought to 462 runs, adding only two runs. After this, the bowlers did their job. Sri Lanka collapsed for 284 runs. India has a lead of 178 runs. Suthar shook the top order of Sri Lanka, Dinusha temporarily stopped this storm, but in the end, India won on the third day.