Even though Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne resisted with a gritty 107, India’s bowlers led by Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin ensured the hosts won the game by 238 runs, sealing the series 2-0.
Bumrah, who picked his first five-wicket haul in India in the first innings, picked three in the second including the scalp of Karunaratne, while R Ashwin bagged 4 wickets to help wrap up the game midway through the third day in Bengaluru. The Test was also Suranga Lakmal’s final game in the longest format.
The series win gives India 12 points in the World Test Championships.
Dimuth Karunaratne gets his fifty on Day 3
Image: BCCI
Day 3: Spinners Strike, Karunaratne Resists
Sri Lanka’s overnight batters Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis resumed proceedings on Day 3 with their backs to the wall, as has been the case for most of this game. However, the duo decided to not get bogged down and took a refreshingly attacking approach in the first hour of the day.
Mendis completed a well made half century, along with his partner, drove the score board quickly towards the 100-run mark. The batters, who put on 97 together, added 69 runs in quick time in the opening session, causing India’s bowlers some concern.
However, just as it looked like they had settled in for the long haul, R Ashwin struck, getting one to beat Mendis’ edge after which Rishabh Pant was quick to whip off the bails. Mendis was gone for 54 and in the next over Angelo Mathews saw the woodwork knocked over by Ravindra Jadeja, as the visitors lost two quick wickets.
A 7-run partnership followed before Dhananjaya de Silva was well caught by Hanuma Vihari close in of Ashwin for 4, the third wicket of the session.
The gritty performance from Sri Lanka in the session was definitely well-appreciated, with Karunaratne and Niroshan Dickwella taking the visitors into the Tea break without further damage. At the time, Sri Lanka needed 296 runs more to win.
In the second session, the need of the hour for either team was the same - wickets for the hosts while Sri Lanka had to bat and bat. Karunaratne and Dickwella were back in the middle with India in a chirpy mood, especially Pant behind the wickets.
However, Dickwella wasn't able to hang on for too long and became Axar Patel's first wicket of the innings. The southpaw danced down the track and was beaten by Axar, only for Pant to quickly take off the bails. Dickwella scored 12 and brought India one wicket closer to the finish line.
Charith Asalanka came out next and was soon back in the hut for 5 as Axar Patel had him caught sharply by Rohit Sharma. India with another 4 wickets needed were on the home stretch while Karunaratne continued to chip away.
Niroshan Dickwella in action.
Image: BCCI
Backed further into a corner in the situation, Karunaratne dug in deeper, and in the 55th over completed his century with a wristy flick of Bumrah for four. This is the captain's 14th Test century.
A little while later though, Bumrah had his man, as the SL captain was knocked over for 107 of 174 deliveries. India at this point needed 3 more wickets and the crowd were raising the volumes in anticipation.
Ashwin then sent Lasith Embuldeniya back for 2 and Bumrah picked another as Suranga Lakmal bid farewell to Test cricket. Vishwa Fernando was the last to depart with Ashwin applying the finishing touches on a 238-run win in Bengaluru.
Day 1 and 2 Recap
India won the toss and batted first, but the batters found it very difficult to get going. The Indian top order failed to fire and it was left to Virat Kohli and Hanuma Vihari to steady the ship with a solid partnership. However, that didn’t last too long either and after 47 runs together, the duo departed quickly one after the other.
Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer attacked SL’s bowlers with Iyer going hammer and tongs against the spinners, and scoring a superb 92 to drive the total to 252. After that Sri Lanka came out to bat in the final session and failed to hold out as Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami shared 5 wickets among themselves. SL lost 6 wickets and have their task cut out on the second day.
On the second day, India rolled over SL within the first half hour for 109, before the host batters pummelled the bowlers and added on the misery. Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant played attacking knocks, scoring half-centuries before India set Sri lanka a target of 447 runs.
Before close of play, India had picked one wicket, with Sri Lanka going in at 28/1 at stumps.
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