A VIRAT VICTORY
Spinners Ashwin and Mishra hand Sri Lanka a massive defeat even as Sangakkara fades away. Virat records his first win as Test skipper
Guard of honour is s another reminder. There’s no choice but to accept it. I have been blessed to have the support I have had all through the years. KUMAR SANGAKKARA, after playing his last Test
278
runs, the margin of victory for India, is their biggest in terms of runs against Sri Lanka. It is also their fourth best ever in Test cricket
17
the number of wickets taken by Ashwin so far in the series
15
years since Sri Lanka lost at home by such a margin
1st
win for India after 9 Tests. The last was in July 2014 at Lord’s
COLOMBO: Often in a crushing team victory with all-round performances like India displayed against Sri Lanka in the second Test, individuals can recede into the background. But the P Sara Oval Test will be remembered for long by both sides after a remarkable comeback by the visitors.
The emotion belonged to Kumar Sangakkara, who bade a tearful adieu after seeing his team brushed aside by 278 runs in his final Test, on the final day on Monday to level the three-Test series. R Ashwin cornered the tag of the most efficient, taking the wicket of the great batsman in both innings — four times in this series — to claim a five-wicket haul in his third successive Test.
Virat Kohli ticked a column with his first Test win as skipper after two losses and draws each, but it was unsung leg-spinner Amit Mishra who produced the most aesthetic moment of the match. Having stunned left-hander Jehan Mubarak with flight and turn in the first innings, he bowled the aggressive Dinesh Chandimal with arguably the ball of the series — one which drifted across the batsman as he shaped to sweep, pitched outside leg and spun in to hit the stump.
NO RESISTANCE
Sri Lanka were overwhelmed in the end three minutes after the lunch break. A shaky 72 for two overnight with a fight on their hands to salvage something for Sangakkara, they lost seven wickets before rain forced lunch a few minutes ahead of schedule. The hosts’ batting has been brittle from the start of the series, but still losing eight wickets for 62 runs showed total lack of application despite the P Sara pitch playing slow, and nowhere near unplayable.
In the Galle Test, India, once they saw Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne reprieved by umpiring mistakes, lost the plot, first in bowling and then with the batting caving in against spin. But the visitors never ceded the advantage once they clinched a vital 87-run first innings lead on Day 3. India’s second successive win at the venue — they won on their last tour in 2010 to square the series — takes them into the third Test starting on Friday high on confidence.
OPENING FLOODGATES
Although there was a threat of rain in the morning, Umesh Yadav struck first ball to raise hopes that India will get the job done quickly. Skipper Angelo Mathews, the only home batsman who looked comfortable against the bowling here, nicked Yadav’s first ball and KL Rahul, keeping in place of the injured Wriddhiman Saha, took a brilliant diving catch. The 23-yearold has kept wickets on and off at domestic level and stood up when the situation demanded.
The wicket got things rolling. Kohli brought on Mishra ahead of Ashwin and he delivered Chandimal’s wicket. Although opener Dimuth Karunaratne was the eighth batsman out, once Ashwin got Thirimanne caught for 11, there was no resistance.
In 2008, India had allowed Muttiah Muralithan to sign off with a wicket off the last ball, his 800th scalp, and victory. This time, they left the sentiment to the opposition.