SL vs IND 2026: 3 decisions that helped India win Galle Test

India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test at Galle on August 19, a match that also marked the 50th Test played at the venue and India's 600th outing in Test cricket. The result carried added weight because both sides needed a 2-0 series sweep to give themselves a realistic chance of reaching the World Test Championship final.

India put on a complete performance with bat and ball, being clinical at the right moments to take command of the match. They will be looking to carry on this momentum further into the second Test of the series in Colombo. Several specific selection and tactical decisions shaped the outcome.

Here are three significant calls from India's victory at Galle:

3. Devdutt Padikkal at number 3

Devdutt Padikkal's inclusion at number 3 proved to be one of the most significant calls of the match. He scored 167 off 230 balls in India's first innings of 462, looking assured against spin throughout his stay. He is the first Indian batter to score a century at number 3 since Shubman Gill did so in September 2024. Throughout the knock, Padikkal was nimble on the crease, coming forward to the pitch of the ball and rocking back onto his back foot with grace and elegance while also using his feet against the spinners.

The innings at Galle underlined his potential as a long-term option in that role. He also contributed 44 off 75 balls in the second innings. He also stitched stands of 151 and 65 with KL Rahul and took up the responsibility to make up the bulk of the scoring.

2. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna in the XI

India's decision to field two fast bowlers alongside three left-arm spinners gave their attack a different dimension on a surface that typically favours spin. Mohammed Siraj removed Nishan Madushka for a duck in Sri Lanka's first innings with a back-of-a-length delivery that seamed away, with Padikkal taking the catch at first slip. In the second innings, Siraj again targeted Madushka with the outswinger before eventually dismissing him with a bouncer off the last ball of his fourth over.

Prasidh Krishna finished with figures of 2/16 off 10 overs in Sri Lanka's second innings. In the first 20 overs of that innings, fast bowlers delivered ten overs and claimed 2 wickets for 20 runs, with Sri Lanka reduced to 41/3 at that stage. Siraj and Prasidh shared five wickets amongst themselves, which were vital to India's win.

1. Playing six frontline batters

India's choice to field six frontline batters in KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel, rather than relying on all-rounders, paid off across both innings. In the first innings, Rahul scored 82 off 175 balls, and Padikkal's 167 anchored a total of 462 off 116.4 overs, which was also supported by a half-century from Jurel.

In the second innings, Rahul contributed 35 with Padikkal scoring 44 before Pant scored a quickfire 66. The depth this batting order provided allowed India to set a target that Sri Lanka could not chase down, and the 165-run winning margin reflected how effectively the six-batter structure functioned across the match.