With flying colours: India pass Sri Lanka Test easily, win by 238 runs

BENGALURU, March 14

India extended their winning streak at home to 15 Test series as they beat Sri Lanka by 238 runs in the second Test to wrap up the Day/Night match in Bengaluru on Day 3 and win the two-Test series 2-0 today.

I was very impressed with his (Iyer’s) performances, it’s not easy on these pitches, especially in just his fourth Test. He knew he was stepping into the big shoes of guys like Rahane and Pujara, but he has everything that he requires. Rishabh seems to get better with each game he plays. The most significant factor in this series was his keeping. It’s the best that I’ve seen Rohit Sharma, India skipper

With the tourists chasing a daunting target of 447 for victory after India declared on 303/9, their skipper Dimuth Karunaratne battled hard to bring up his 14th Test ton (107) but wickets fell regularly and they were bowled out for 208.

India won the first Test in Mohali by an innings and 222 runs inside three days and Rohit Sharma’s side repeated the feat in Bengaluru when Sri Lanka were bowled out in the second session.

“It’s been a good run and I’ve enjoyed it personally and as a team. We wanted to achieve a few things as a team and we’ve done that,” Sharma said. “Pink-ball Tests are challenging. We never knew what it was like to play with the pink ball in India, but we are learning to make those adjustments. The crowd just makes it more special.”

Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis had chipped away in the first session and together the pair survived a couple of edges to bring up Sri Lanka’s highest partnership of the series (97) while Mendis also brought up his half-century.

However, Sri Lanka then lost three wickets for eight runs as India took charge.

India made the breakthrough when spinner Ravichandran Ashwin enticed Mendis (54) to dance down the track, with the batsman misjudging the line as Pant collected the ball and quickly whipped off the bails.

Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka’s top-scorer in the first innings, lasted only five balls as Ravindra Jadeja broke through his defence to knock over his leg stump while Ashwin struck again to have Dhananjaya de Silva caught at forward short leg. — Reuters

439 Ashwin equalled Dale Steyn’s tally of 439 Test wickets. He recently went past Kapil Dev’s tally of 434.

Scoreboard

India 1st innings 252

Sri lanka 1st innings 109

India 2nd innings 303/d

Sri Lanka 2nd innings

L Thirimanne lbw b Bumrah 0

D Karunaratne b Bumrah 107

K Mendis st Pant b Ashwin 54

A Mathews b Jadeja 1

D de Silva c Vihari b Ashwin 4

N Dickwella st Pant b Patel 12

C Asalanka c Sharma b Patel 5

L Embuldeniya lbw b Ashwin 2

S Lakmal b Bumrah 1

V Fernando c Shami b Ashwin 2

P Jayawickrama not out 0

Extras: (b 16, lb 3, nb 1) 20

Total: (all out, 59.3 overs) 208

FOW: 1-0, 2-97, 3-98, 4-105, 5-160, 6-180, 7-204, 8-206, 9-208

Bowling O M R W

Jasprit Bumrah 9 4 23 3

Mohammed Shami 6 0 26 0

Ravichandran Ashwin 19.3 3 55 4

Ravindra Jadeja 14 2 48 1

Axar Patel 11 1 37 2

Player of the Match: Shreyas Iyer

Player of the Series: Rishabh Pant

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