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The Sri Lanka National Cricket Team has suffered a big blow in the first Test against the India National Cricket Team as Dinesh Chandimal has been ruled out of the match after suffering a head and shoulder injury while fielding at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle.
Chandimal was injured during the first session of Day 4. He hit his shoulder and head hard on the ground while fielding against India in Galle. The Sri Lankan batter was immediately checked by the medical team and was taken for a precautionary scan. Amid this, Ravindra Jadeja falls to Pasindu Sooriyabandara’s blinder in India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test.
Dinesh Chandimal ruled out of Galle Test, Pasindu Sooriyabandara named Concussion Sub
Thankfully, the scan was clear and showed no signs of any internal injury. However, Chandimal was then assessed for concussion by the team doctor and physiotherapist on the ground. After the assessment, he was ruled out of the first Test match under the concussion protocol.
Sri Lanka has now brought in Pasindu Sooriyabandara as Dinesh Chandimal's concussion replacement for the rest of the ongoing first Test against India in Galle.
The match referee has approved the replacement for the remainder of the first Test. So, Chandimal will not take any further part in the ongoing Galle Test.
Sri Lanka bowlers rock India, set 372-run target in Galle
Meanwhile, India has been bowled out for 193 runs in their second innings, giving Sri Lanka a target of 372 runs to win the first Test in Galle. Sri Lanka produced an excellent bowling performance, and surprisingly, their fast bowlers did most of the damage.
The conditions were expected to help the spinners, but Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara changed the game with their aggressive bowling. Both pacers kept bowling short deliveries and troubled the Indian batters with their pace and bounce. Together, they picked up six wickets.
The left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya also played an important role and finished with 3 wickets for 43 runs. India started their second innings with a lead of 178 runs, but they lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early. The young Indian opener was dismissed on just the second ball of the innings.
Then KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal tried to steady the innings. The pair added 65 runs for the second wicket and brought some control back to India's batting. Amid this, Dharmesh Bhardwaj, BCCI umpire, admitted to ICU after being hit in DPL.
Rishabh Pant's lone fight; Sri Lanka eye historic chase of 372 runs
However, after Rahul's (35), Padikkal's (44), and Shubman Gill’s (8) wickets, the middle order struggled to score, with Rishabh Pant once again providing the big attacking performance. Pant played in his usual aggressive style and smashed 66 runs from just 69 balls.
His innings gave India valuable runs at a crucial stage. But the lower order left the team helpless, as the final six batters together scored only 34 runs, and the team was eventually bowled out for 193.
Now Sri Lanka needs 372 runs to script the history. At Galle, only once has a team successfully chased a target of more than 300 runs. Pakistan chased 342 against Sri Lanka in 2022. If Sri Lanka chases 372, it will be a new record run chase at Galle and a huge Test victory for the hosts.
