India won by 165 runs over Sri Lanka in the second Test of the India tour of Sri Lanka 2026, with Player of the Match Devdutt Padikkal setting up the victory through a commanding 167 in India’s 462. Manav Suthar then completed a match-defining ten-wicket haul as India sealed an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
Having won the opening Test by six wickets, India arrived in the second match with the chance to take control of the three-Test contest. They did exactly that, building a substantial first-innings platform before their bowlers closed out a hard-fought Sri Lankan challenge.
Padikkal’s 167 gives India the first-innings edge
India’s 462 in the first innings was built around Padikkal’s superb 167, an innings that underlined why he was named Player of the Match. KL Rahul added 82 and Dhruv Jurel made 51, giving India the depth and scoreboard pressure that shaped the contest.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers continued to make inroads despite India’s imposing total. Prabath Jayasuriya took 4 wickets, Keshara Nuwantha claimed 3 and Asitha Fernando picked up 2, but Padikkal’s big hundred ensured India had the advantage heading into Sri Lanka’s reply.
Suthar begins the squeeze
Sri Lanka responded with 284, with Sonal Dinusha making 100 and Niroshan Dickwella contributing 80. Lahiru Udara Igalagamage added 27, but India’s attack prevented the home side from getting close enough to neutralise the first-innings deficit.
Manav Suthar led the way with 4 wickets in Sri Lanka’s first innings, while Ravindra Jadeja took 3 and Mohammed Siraj claimed 1. The innings left India in control, even though Sri Lanka had shown enough resistance through Dinusha and Dickwella to demand a disciplined finish from the visitors.
Pant’s counterattack sets a testing target
India’s second innings did not offer the same freedom as their first, as Sri Lanka’s bowlers struck regularly. Asitha Fernando took 4 wickets, Prabath Jayasuriya 3 and Lahiru Kumara 2 as India were dismissed for 193.
But Rishabh Pant’s 66 was a decisive contribution in the context of the match. Padikkal followed his first-innings hundred with 44, while Rahul made 35, taking India’s lead beyond Sri Lanka’s reach and leaving the hosts a demanding final-innings chase.
Suthar’s six completes a Galle statement
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 206 in 77.4 overs as India completed a 165-run win. Dinusha again resisted with 84 and captain Dhananjaya de Silva made 59, while Keshara Nuwantha added 20, but the chase never found the sustained momentum required to threaten India.
Suthar was the defining force on the final innings, taking 6 wickets to finish with 10 in the match. Prasidh Krishna took 2 wickets and Siraj claimed 1 as India’s attack completed a comprehensive performance. The result extends India’s lead to 2-0 after two matches and guarantees they cannot lose the series.
Key performers
- Devdutt Padikkal, India: 167 and 44; named Player of the Match.
- Manav Suthar, India: 4 wickets in Sri Lanka’s first innings and 6 in the second, for 10 wickets in the match.
- Rishabh Pant, India: 66 in India’s second innings.
- Sonal Dinusha, Sri Lanka: 100 and 84 in a determined two-innings effort.
- Dhananjaya de Silva, Sri Lanka: 59 in the final innings.
- Prabath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka: 4 wickets in India’s first innings and 3 in the second.
NerdSports Stat: Devdutt Padikkal’s 211 runs across India’s two innings were five more than Sri Lanka managed in their entire fourth-innings chase of 206.
India will now target a clean sweep when the third and final Test begins on Saturday, August 22. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will look to turn their individual resistance into a complete match performance and avoid a 3-0 result.
Frequently Asked Questions
India won the match by 165 runs.
Devdutt Padikkal was named Player of the Match for scoring 167 and 44 for India.
India lead the three-Test series 2-0 after winning the first Test by six wickets and the second Test by 165 runs.
Devdutt Padikkal top-scored with 167 runs.
The third Test between Sri Lanka and India is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026.
