Harsha Bhogle: India’s second innings in the Galle Test took an unexpectedly messy turn on Day 4, getting bowled out for 193 instead of setting up a declaration, drawing sharp criticism over the team’s game plan with rain clouds gathering over the final day.
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What Happened On Day 4
Resuming with a 178-run first-innings lead, India extended their advantage steadily through KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal before losing quick wickets, including Yashasvi Jaiswal for a first-ball duck. Rishabh Pant then counter-attacked to push the total along, but the innings folded for 193, leaving Sri Lanka needing 288 for victory. India hit back with the ball, reducing the hosts to 84 for 4 by stumps.
Why The Approach Is Under the Scanner
Commentators and analysts flagged that with rain forecast for Day 5, similar to the conditions that had already washed out sessions on Days 2 and 3, India could have declared once their lead crossed 350 rather than batting on and risking being bowled out. Being all out for 193 instead of controlling the declaration has left India needing all ten Sri Lankan wickets in a single day now under threat from weather.
The Bigger Picture
India need to win both Tests in this series to keep their World Test Championship final hopes alive, making the margin for error on time management unusually thin. A near-missed opportunity on Day 4, Ravindra Jadeja overstepped on what would have been a fifth Sri Lankan wicket, only added to the sense that India left themselves more to do than necessary.
