India are in a strong position in the Galle Test, but one mistake from Ravindra Jadeja left head coach Gautam Gambhir visibly disappointed.
Sri Lankan batter Dhananjaya de Silva had been caught at slip off Jadeja’s bowling. However, the wicket did not count because Jadeja had overstepped and bowled a no-ball. The mistake gave Dhananjaya a crucial second chance when India were closing in on victory.
Jadeja had Dhananjaya completely beaten
Jadeja appeared to have produced the perfect delivery. The spinner tossed the ball up and got it to turn sharply. Dhananjaya managed only an edge.
The ball travelled towards first slip, where India completed the catch. For a moment, it looked like another Sri Lankan wicket had fallen.
Then came the no-ball call, Jadeja had overstepped the crease. The wicket was immediately cancelled, leaving Dhananjaya with a huge lifeline.
Gautam Gambhir was disappointed
The missed opportunity did not go down well with Gambhir. The India head coach was seen looking disappointed from the dressing room after the no-ball decision.
For India, the timing made the mistake even more frustrating. The team were already in control of the Test and needed to keep picking up wickets.
A no-ball not only costs an extra run but can also take away a wicket. In this case, it allowed a settled batter to continue at the crease.
Jadeja’s no-ball record adds another layer
The incident is particularly interesting because no-balls have been an issue for Jadeja in recent years. According to the statistics provided, Jadeja has bowled 84 Test no-balls since 2021, the most among the bowlers listed.
Pakistan’s Noman Ali is second with 40, while Sri Lanka’s Lasith Embuldeniya has bowled 33. That makes Jadeja’s latest mistake an unwanted part of an existing trend. However, his overall contribution to the Test has been significant.
He also reached 350 international wickets during the match after taking three wickets in India’s first innings.
India still in control
Despite the missed chance, India remain in a commanding position. India set Sri Lanka a target of 372 runs after being bowled out for 193 in their second innings.
The hosts had already conceded a 178-run first-innings lead. Sri Lanka ended Day 4 on 84/4. They still need 288 more runs to win the Test, with six wickets remaining.
India’s bowlers have put Sri Lanka under pressure
India have already made significant inroads into the Sri Lankan batting order. Mohammed Siraj dismissed Nishan Madushka.
Manav Sutar picked up the wickets of Pasindu Suryabandara and Lahiru Udara.
Prasidh Krishna removed Kamindu Mendis. Dhananjaya, who survived the no-ball incident, remained unbeaten on 31. Sonal Dinusha was unbeaten on 25 at the end of play.
Galle pitch could make Day 5 difficult
The conditions are expected to make India’s job even more interesting on the final day. The Galle surface has started offering turn and uneven bounce.
India have several options to exploit those conditions. Jadeja remains a major threat. Kuldeep Yadav can also cause problems with his variations.
Manav Sutar has already made an impact by taking two wickets in the second innings. That spin combination could put Sri Lanka under enormous pressure.