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The Sri Lankan batter Lahiru Udara was dismissed for 16 runs off 58 balls, but his wicket created plenty of drama after the Indian star Dhruv Jurel completed the catch on Day 4 of the ongoing first Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle.
Manav Suthar bowled the delivery outside Udara’s hitting area. The Sri Lankan batter played the ball towards the gully region, where Jurel was stationed. The Indian batter reacted quickly, got down on his knees and grabbed the ball with his right hand. Amid this, Sri Lanka look to emulate Pakistan to crush Shubman Gill’s India in Galle Test.
Dhruv Jurel’s catch sparks big drama in Galle as Lahiru Udara falls for 16
However, there was a big question that did Jurel's fingers remain underneath the ball, or did the ball touch the ground as his hand moved forward?
The on-field players were sure it was a clean catch but Udara was not convinced. He was in the crease and looked surprised. He was pretty sure the ball might have touched the ground.
The third umpire checked the replays. The initial footage suggested that the ball went directly into Jurel's hand. Although there was some doubt about whether the ball brushed the ground during the momentum of the catch, the third umpire was satisfied with the evidence.
The final decision was out as the disappointed Udara had to leave the field for 16 runs off 58 balls. Amid this, Dhruv Jurel RULED OUT? India batter forced off the field after taking blow in ankle during Galle Test.
🚨 CATCH CONTROVERSY IN GALLE! 🚨
— Cricket News (@CricketNews_63) August 18, 2026
Manav Suthar dismissed Lahiru Udara for 16, but the catch taken by Dhruv Jurel has sparked controversy! 😳
Jurel took it close to the ground with one hand, and replays raised the BIG question — were his fingers actually underneath the ball? 🤔… pic.twitter.com/0hhPlOWjxp
Sri Lanka in deep trouble as India need only 6 wickets on final day
Meanwhile, India dominated the dramatic Day 4 in Galle. The umpires called stumps early as the light faded, with the touring side needing just 6 more wickets to win the first Test.
India finished their second innings at 191 runs, thanks to Rishabh Pant’s attacking knock of 66 runs. KL Rahul scored 35 and Devdutt Padikkal made 44. They also added 65 runs together for the second wicket. Sri Lanka now faces a huge target of 371 runs.
Nishan Fernando was dismissed cheaply again, while concussion substitute Pasindu Sooriyabandara was out for a first-ball duck on debut. Kamindu Mendis also fell after edging Prasidh Krishna to slip, while Lahiru Udara was caught at gully off Manav Suthar.
Dhananjaya de Silva got a big lifeline after being caught off a no-ball and is still fighting. Sonal Dinusha has also looked confident at the crease.
The hosts have already lost four wickets, and they still need 288 more runs to win. However, Sri Lanka has a massive challenge ahead. No team has ever chased 371 in the fourth innings at Galle. India needs only six wickets, while Sri Lanka needs 288 runs to win the first Test in Galle.
Manav Suthar reveals India’s big plan for Day 5 against Sri Lanka
After the end of the day four, Manav Suthar said India’s main plan for the final day is to start strongly with the ball. The bowlers will first try to find the right length quickly. After seeing how the pitch behaves in the morning, they will change their bowling accordingly.
Suthar said at the press conference, “The idea is to get a good start. We will try to find our lengths as quickly as possible and then, depending on the wicket, decide what lengths we need to bowl tomorrow morning. So, the plan will be to adapt to the conditions as quickly as possible.”
