Khawaja Breaks Records with Double Ton in Galle Test: Australia’s monumental first innings performance has set the tone in the opening Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, with Usman Khawaja and debutant Josh Inglis producing memorable knocks on day two. Khawaja struck a superb 232, his maiden double century, while Inglis made a blistering 102 on his Test debut, propelling Australia to an imposing 654 for six before declaring.
Khawaja’s marathon knock, which included 16 boundaries and a six, anchored Australia’s innings. The 38-year-old shared in two century-plus partnerships, first with Steve Smith (141) and later with Inglis, helping Australia post their highest-ever Test total in Asia. The stand between Khawaja and Smith was particularly significant, with the pair putting on 266 runs, before Smith was dismissed on the second day.
Smith, already having made history on day one by becoming the fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs, fell to a review decision after Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva successfully challenged an lbw call. Smith’s departure came after a patient and classy knock, leaving Australia on 530 for three.
Inglis, who had been impressive from the start, continued to accelerate after reaching his half-century. His aggressive 94-ball century was one of the highlights of the day, as he played with confidence and flair, much to the delight of his family in the stands. Inglis was eventually dismissed lbw by spinner Nishan Peiris, but not before his brilliant knock had put Australia in a commanding position.
Sri Lanka’s response has been underwhelming so far, as they struggled to contend with Australia’s high score. In their first innings, they limped to 44 for three before rain interrupted play, leaving them 610 runs behind. Kamindu Mendis (13) and Dinesh Chandimal (9) will resume on Friday with their side facing the very real threat of the follow-on.
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Sri Lanka’s day was also marked by their poor use of reviews. Early in the match, they failed to overturn two not-out decisions that could have led to the dismissal of Australian batters. However, they redeemed themselves later in the day, successfully reviewing an lbw decision against Smith, which proved to be a crucial breakthrough.
Australia’s bowlers will now look to press home their advantage, with Sri Lanka facing a tough challenge to avoid a heavy deficit. The hosts will need to regroup quickly when play resumes, with Mendis and Chandimal needing to survive on a pitch that has offered plenty of assistance to the spinners.
Khawaja’s innings was a masterpiece of patience and technique, particularly against Sri Lanka’s spin-heavy attack, as he regularly used the sweep and reverse sweep to disrupt the bowlers’ rhythm. His departure, caught behind off Prabath Jayasuriya, brought an end to a sublime innings that saw Australia dominating in all departments.
With the rain break halting Sri Lanka’s reply and the follow-on looming large, Australia will be hoping for more breakthroughs as they look to seize control of this Test.
