5 memorable India and Sri Lanka Encounters in Tests
India and Sri Lanka, the two Asian superpowers, have produced some of the most gripping Test affairs over the years. They have 35 years of Test history between them in which they have played 38 Test matches. India have hosted 21 of those while Sri Lanka hosted 17.
Both sides have phenomenal records on their home turfs. India have never lost a Test match against Sri Lanka at home. They have won 10 out of the 17 Tests on home soil. Although, Sri Lanka have also dominated India at their own den, India fare slightly better than them in away matches. Out of the 21 Tests played on the Lankan soil, India have won six of them. Sri Lanka have won seven of those while drawing eight.
However, Sri Lanka didn’t have the best of times in their last two series against India at home. Three out of India’s six Test victories in Sri Lanka have come in the last five years. They drew the 2010 Series 1-1 and won the last series in 2015 by a 2-1 margin.
All the Lankan stalwarts, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan, have now retired and they look no match for India at the moment. There is a high possibility that India might outplay Sri Lanka in the upcoming Test series. Let us now go down the memory lane and have a look at five of the most memorable India-Sri Lanka encounters in Tests over the years.
#1 2nd Test: Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (PSS), August 20-24, 2015
India were 1-0 down in the three match series after they were beaten in the first match at Galle by 63 runs. However, Virat Kohli and Co. shrugged off the disappointment of defeat as they made a strong comeback in the second Test at the P Sara Oval in Colombo.
Winning the toss, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli chose to bat first on a pitch that was supposed to aid the spinners from the second day onward. India found themselves in deep trouble having lost Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane on a score of just 12 runs.
However, a magnificent knock of 108 runs from KL Rahul and half-centuries from each of Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha helped India to a first innings total of 393 runs. Rangana Herath was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with figures of 25-3-81-4.
Extra cover: Dinesh Chandimal ruled out of first India Test
Sri Lanka in reply could only manage 306 runs in their first innings. It was because of a superb knock of 102 runs from Dinesh Chandimal and half centuries from Kaushal Silva (51) and Lahiru Thirrimanne (62) that Sri Lanka could get even that close to India’s total. Amit Mishra returned with the best figures among the India bowlers as he claimed 4/43 in his 21 overs.
The pitch had become quite difficult to bat on. However,Vijay and Rahane stepped up this time as all other Indian batsmen failed to contribute. Vijay’s 82 and Rahane’s 126 helped India to a second innings total of 325. That helped India to set a target of 413 runs to chase for Sri Lanka.
This time, however, there was no one who could save the sinking Lankan ship as each and every batsman succumbed to the spin of Amit Mishra and Ravichandran Ashwin. The duo picked up eight wickets between them to bundle out the Lankans out for a mere 134 runs. India, thus, won the match by a mammoth margin of 278 runs and levelled the 3-match series 1-1. KL Rahul was adjudged the ‘Player of the match’ for his superb century in the first innings.