India’s Test captain Shubman Gill made jaws drop at Galle International Cricket Stadium on August 17. On Day 3 of the first Test against Sri Lanka, Gill pulled off a one-handed stunner while diving to dismiss Kamindu Mendis off Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling in the first session.
Kamindu danced down the track against Kuldeep but all he could manage was a push-drive. He got too close to the ball and lost control of the shot. Gill was fielding at short extra-cover and dived to his left to take the catch inches from the ground. He did not lose control of the ball upon landing.
Kuldeep was elated with the skipper plucking one out of thin air. Meanwhile, Kamindu felt that he shouldn’t have placed the ball there and looked to play straighter.
Kamindu's wicket was the fourth to fall in the first session. He managed to score just 14 runs from 25 deliveries, including a four and a six. He became the left-arm wrist spinner's only scalp in the first session. When he departed, Sri Lanka were 59/4.
First stunner in new fielding coach’s tenure
This is the first acrobatic catch of the first from the visitors under the new fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh. He joined the Gautam Gambhir-led coaching staff after T Dilip’s tenure came to an end. India’s fielding has been under the scanner for a while for dropping crucial catches.
The catch also shows that Gill is not struggling with the neck issues that have troubled him since last year when he was ruled out of the second Test of the series against South Africa.
India post 462 on board, Sri Lanka lose 5 before lunch break
India could add only two runs to their overnight score. Asitha Fernando dismissed Prasidh Krishna on the fourth ball of the over as India were bowled out for 462.
In reply, Sri Lanka batters could not make an impact in the first session. At the lunch break, Sri Lanka were 99/5 with Sonal Dinusha and Niroshan Dickwella in the middle.
Mohammed Siraj struck early, dismissing Nishan Fernando for a two-ball duck. Manav Suthar was introduced early into the attack and he delivered with wickets of Lahiru Udara and Dinesh Chandimal. After Gill's stunning catch, skipper Dhananjaya de Silva was dismissed caught behind by Ravindra Jadeja.