In Stats: India’s Annihilation of Sri Lanka in the Test Series

Take a look at the third Test between India and Sri Lanka through numbers.

India celebrates its 71st Independence Day on Tuesday, and Virat Kohli and co gave themselves the opportunity to indulge in extended celebrations after they wrapped up the third and final Test against Sri Lanka in under three days.

At Pallekele, India defeated the hosts to sweep the 3-match Test series and firm up their position at the top of the ICC Test rankings. With this series win, India sit pretty at the perch with 125 rating points – 15 points more than the second-placed South Africa.

The margin of win in Pallekele – an innings and 171 runs – is India’s biggest win in Test matches against Sri Lanka. India have now defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and more, twice in this series and on 10 occasions overall – more than they have defeated any other opponent by such a margin.

This series was India’s 8th consecutive series win – with the stretch beginning in Sri Lanka in 2015.

Since then, India have clinched Test series against seven different opponents: South Africa (3-0), West Indies (2-0 overseas), New Zealand (3-0), England (4-0), Bangladesh (1-0), Australia (2-1) and Sri Lanka (2015 & 2017).

India won the series and quite comfortably at that – improving upon their winning margin with every passing Test match. But the numbers will not tell how they dominated proceedings and never dropped their intensity.

Here’s an attempt to illustrate the difference between the two teams:

Series whitewashes are an accomplishment – it can only happen if a team dominates its opponent in all the departments of the game, and over the course of however long the series is played.

For this Indian team to achieve a whitewash, while playing overseas, is a significant achievement; remember, this is the same Sri Lankan team that, twelve months ago, humbled the visiting Australians 3-0.

It is not too often that Sri Lanka have been whitewashed at home; prior to India inflicting that embarrassment, the Sri Lankans had only been whitewashed at home on two occasions.

With the win in the final Test match Pallekele, Virat Kohli added another Test match win to his record as India captain, and in the process, improved upon his predecessor MS Dhoni’s tally of overseas Test wins.

Also Read: Ashwin Takes 4 Wickets as India Beat SL by an Innings and 171 Runs

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