Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar finished with a haul of 10 wickets as India thrashed Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test in Galle to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Suthar, playing only his second Test, impressed with his line and length to ensure India a memorable win on Wednesday in their 600th Test match.
He took four wickets in the first innings and kept up the fine show to take 6-55, helping bowl out the hosts for 206 shortly after lunch on the final day.
Set a target of 372 runs, Sri Lanka’s batters failed to apply themselves, other than Sonal Dinusha, who top-scored in both innings.
Indian captain Shubman Gill called the victory “very satisfying”.
“We were in a comfortable position but were not sure if the match would go on [because of the weather], but the team responded well,” he said.
Gill also praised Suthar and the batsmen for their effort on a wicket that was not easy to score runs on.
“He has been bowling magnificently. Looks like a very promising guy and someone who can play for India for a long time,” he said.
India claimed two wickets in the morning session after Sri Lanka resumed from their overnight score of 84-4 and then quickly ran through the tail.
Captain Dhananjaya de Silva (59) and first-innings centurion Dinusha tried to fight back, batting for more than two hours to add 95 runs for the fifth wicket.
De Silva, who had been dismissed off a no-ball early in his innings, looked set to make the most of the reprieve, posting his 20th half-century.
But his knock ended after he attempted a sweep shot off Ravindra Jadeja and was caught at short fine leg by Suthar.
“It was not easy [batting fourth in Galle],” said de Silva.
“They won the toss, got the runs on the board, and with our batting, we lost wickets, and it went downhill from there.”
Wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella posted a half-century in the first innings but could not make an impact in the second.
Dickwella fell for 10 when he attempted to hit Prasidh Krishna over the slips but ended up edging one to the wicketkeeper.
Suthar triggered a late-order collapse with a triple-wicket maiden after lunch and then, in his next over, claimed the last wicket of Keshara Nuwantha as Sri Lanka folded 36 minutes after lunch.
The last four wickets fell for seven runs, with Suthar claiming them all.
The 25-year-old Dinusha (84) put up a solid effort despite little support from his teammates.
Playing his fourth Test, he showcased maturity beyond his age, taking on India’s spinners with nimble footwork.
He was dismissed when Dhruv Jurel at leg slip took a bat-pad catch. He faced 128 deliveries during his defiant knock and hit eight fours and one six.
Apart from Suthar, the other standout performer for India was top-order batter Devdutt Padikkal, who posted 167 and 44 in the game, having come in as a late injury replacement.
“The wicket had its natural wear and tear [but] it was a good Test wicket,” Padikkal said.
“Turned a lot more from the third day onwards. In the end, it was all about who came out on top with their skill-set.”
The teams now head to Colombo for the second Test match, starting on Sunday.
