Pandya form impresses Kohli in Sri Lanka win
India’s captain Virat Kohli heaped praise on Hardik Pandya for his maiden century in the third Test after the visitors inflicted a crushing 3-0 series whitewash on Sri Lanka yesterday.
Pandya’s 96-ball 108 paved the way for victory by an innings and 171 runs inside three days, India’s first clean sweep of an overseas threeTest series.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and paceman Mohammed Shami shared seven wickets as the hosts were bowled out for 181 in their follow-on in Pallekele Monday.
But it was 23-year-old Pandya, batting in just his third Test after debuting in Galle, who stole the show with the century that had lifted India to 487 in the first innings.
Sri Lanka offered just 135 in reply in their first innings against the world’s top Test side.
“You know, a guy who can get a fifty and a hundred in his first three games batting at No 8 has to have something special in him,” Kohli said.
“He brings in great balance to the team, he’s a gun fielder and gives you those crucial breakthroughs ... we absolutely have 120 per cent faith in him.”
Rookie spinner Kuldeep Yadav also made his mark with four wickets in Sri Lanka’s first innings as the islanders conceded a 352-run first innings lead.
Playing in just his second Test, the 22-year-old took overall match figures of 5-96.
Ashwin kept up the pressure on the hosts with four wickets on the third day, including top-scorer Niroshan Dickwella for 41.
“We are a young side. We look forward to playing Test cricket with the same kind of excitement. That’s the only way you can be ruthless... we like to be proactive rather than reactive,” said Kohli.
“We have age on our side. We have an opportunity to play together for five-six years with this whole bunch and this really excites us.”
Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal, who made 36, put up some resistance during his 65-run fifth-wicket stand with Angelo Mathews.
But it proved ultimately futile and Chandimal said: “Credit goes to India. They have played outstandingly well in the series ... losing within two and half days you cannot give any excuses. We have to perform better than this.”
“We were not able to take the games to five days. There have been four-day Tests and three-day Tests.
“Hardik batted brilliantly when he came out to the middle. The first spell by Shami and Umesh (Yadav) was brilliant.”
The two sides now play a five-match one-day international series, with the first game on Sunday in Dambulla, with a Twenty20 international to take place later in the month.