India are within touching distance of taking the series lead in Galle. If weather permits, they should get the remaining six Sri Lanka wickets and head to Colombo with a 1-0 lead. The forecast looks encouraging on the final day too, with showers expected only early in the morning, and even in the worst case of a delayed start on Wednesday, India have every reason to believe they can wrap up the Test.

The task won’t be easy, though. Going by the signs late on Tuesday, they will have to work hard for it. Despite 14 wickets falling on the day, the pitch hasn’t worn as much as expected. There is a good degree of turn on offer, which Galle is known for, but the bounce remains on the lower side. Batsmen who get their eye in can defend off the back foot without much trouble. That India removed short leg and silly point when the spinners operated, as early as the 21st over, once the ball had gone soft, showed the challenge they are up against. Instead, alongside a traditional slip, they kept a second slip, kneeling to make sure half-chances didn’t go to waste. It was one such effort from Dhruv Jurel that gave India their fourth wicket. They would have had a fifth, that of Dhananjaya de Silva, only for Ravindra Jadeja to overstep after KL Rahul had pouched it at first slip. Instead, Sri Lanka ended Day 4 on 84 for 4. Fighting out a draw is possible, but they will have to bat out of their skins to do it.

Having set a target for the win, India knew they had to be patient and disciplined with the ball. The low bounce means batsmen have the option of disrupting the spinners with the sweep, so the pitch hasn’t evolved into one where the spinners can simply land in the right areas and let the surface do the rest. That India didn’t turn to Kuldeep Yadav till the 29th over said everything about their reading of the conditions. As the slowest of their three spinners, he gives batsmen more chances to survive.

20th Test fifty, Rishabh Pant brings it up with a six! 🔥

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 18, 2026

With the new ball, wickets were key, and India were right on the mark. Mohammed Siraj’s surprise bouncer brought the first wicket, of Nishan Madushka, while Manav Suthar’s straighter delivery trapped concussion substitute Pasindu Sooriyabandara, in for Dinesh Chandimal, first ball. Kamindu Mendis couldn’t resist chasing a wide delivery off Prasidh Krishna, Rahul taking a sharp catch at slip, before Lahiru Udara fell to Suthar. Despite that opening burst, once the ball softened, the same bite went missing, something India will need to find again on the final day.

When play began on Day 4, with India leading by 178 runs, the question was at what point they would feel safe from losing the Test. At Galle, teams chasing targets under 150 have succeeded every time they’ve tried. But for targets of 150 and above, successful chases have been rare, including Pakistan’s 342 in 2022. This surface, under covers for a long period and baked under the sun over the last couple of days, hadn’t deteriorated as much as expected. So India’s approach followed predictable lines. With the pitch not wearing much, and rain a possibility, India knew they had to give their bowlers time to take 10 wickets, and came out looking to score quickly in the second innings.

But as had been the case through the Test, India tried to be aggressive while the ball retained its hardness, and it meant they lost wickets more often than they would have liked. After Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for nought off the third ball of the innings, KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal started briskly. But between the 14th and 31st overs, exactly when they would have wanted to press on, they lost four wickets, leaving the responsibility to Rishabh Pant. By then the ball had gone soft, but the turn remained as sharp as ever, setting up a riveting contest.

The Sri Lankans fancied their chances against Pant, with fielders in attacking positions. He sensed the opportunity to score, provided he was brave, and he was, taking the right risks without being reckless. His shot selection was calculated; by now he knew what worked and what didn’t. Unlike the top order, he preferred to play on either side of the square, not just the safer option but the more effective one against spin. His 66 off 69 balls stretched the lead beyond Sri Lanka’s reach.

Take away Pant’s innings, Padikkal’s 44 and Rahul’s 35, and the rest of the order managed only 42 between them, as India finished on 193. Their approach was questionable, but given they were pushing for a win with rain a threat, that’s a conversation for another day. They finished the job. A target of 372 looked safe.