KL Rahul shared a light-hearted moment with teammate Devdutt Padikkal after the latter convinced him to take a successful LBW review during India’s first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Rahul had initially accepted the umpire’s decision and appeared ready to walk back, but Padikkal’s insistence prompted him to challenge the call. The review showed that the ball would have missed the stumps, allowing Rahul to continue his innings.

The incident occurred on the final delivery of the 11th over of India’s innings, when Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuriya bowled an arm ball that drifted into Rahul. The Indian batter moved forward but was beaten on the inside edge, with the delivery striking him on the back pad. Sri Lanka immediately appealed, and the umpire raised his finger without hesitation, leaving Rahul convinced that he had been dismissed.

As Rahul began walking away, Padikkal stopped him and urged him to review the decision. Replays confirmed there had been no contact with the bat and that the impact was in line. However, the ball-tracking technology showed the delivery would have gone over the top of the stumps, overturning the on-field decision and giving Rahul a crucial reprieve.

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Rahul reacted with visible relief after surviving the review and immediately embraced Padikkal. The two teammates shared a playful moment, with Rahul appearing to nearly kiss Padikkal before their helmets prevented the gesture. The exchange highlighted the importance of communication between batters, particularly when a player is uncertain about whether to use a review.

Rahul was batting on 25 off 37 deliveries when the incident occurred and managed to add another 10 runs before Jayasuriya eventually dismissed him. Rahul advanced down the pitch to a fuller delivery outside off and attempted to loft it over mid-on, but the bat twisted at impact and the shot lacked the required distance. Milan Rathnayake completed the catch at deepish mid-off, ending Rahul’s innings.

Earlier, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal for a three-ball duck in the opening over, marking his seventh duck as a Test opener. India had entered the innings after bowling Sri Lanka out for 284 on Day 3, securing a 178-run lead. Rahul and Padikkal had also put together another half-century partnership, their second 50-plus stand of the match, adding significance to their contribution during India’s innings.

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