IND Vs SL: Sri Lanka Eye History After India Set 372-Run Target In 1st Test

India strengthened their position in the opening Test after being bowled out for 193 in their second innings on Tuesday. The visitors set Sri Lanka a daunting target of 372 runs for victory. Sri Lanka will need a record chase to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

The highest successful chase at Galle is 344 when Pakistan nailed the target down in 2022. For Sri Lanka, their best winning fourth innings effort is 268 against New Zealand in 2019. Sri Lanka overall in their history have chase more than 350 twice, but both wins came in Colombo.

India had scored 462 in their first innings before dismissing Sri Lanka for 284 on Monday. That gave India a 174-run first-innings lead. The visitors then took an aggressive approach in their second innings to set up a challenging target.

KL Rahul scored 35 and Devdutt Padikkal made 44 as India reached 116 for 4 at lunch. The pair added 64 runs to steady the innings after an early setback. Rahul was later dismissed, followed by Shubman Gill, who scored just eight.

Rishabh Pant then played a quick 66 off 69 balls, hitting two sixes. He also became the first Indian batter to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket and the fastest player in the world to reach the landmark. Pant's attacking knock helped India push their target beyond 350.

Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a duck by Asitha Fernando off the third ball of the opening over. Rahul and Padikkal then handled the early movement and rebuilt the innings. Fernando finished with 4/31, while Prabath Jayasuriya took 3/43 and Lahiru Kumara claimed 2/27.