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IND vs SL 2022: Hits and Flops as the hosts clinch the series 2-0 

IND vs SL: India won the two-match Test series convincingly [P.C: BCCI]
IND vs SL: India won the two-match Test series convincingly [P.C: BCCI]

With a 238-run victory in Bengaluru on Monday, India completed a 2-0 win over Sri Lanka in their latest Test series. This result meant that the Indian team completed 15 consecutive Test series wins at home.

After opting to bat first on a rank-turner, the Rohit Sharma-led side posted a decent total of 252 in their first innings. Shreyas Iyer, with his 92 off 98 balls, top-scored for India.

In reply, Sri Lanka were unable to withstand the onslaught of Indian bowlers and were bundled out for just 109 runs in their first innings. Jasprit Bumrah starred with the ball, taking his eighth fifer in Test cricket, his first on home soil.

With a healthy lead of 143, the hosts further tightened their grip on the match. They piled up 303-9 in their second innings, courtesy of half-centuries by Rishabh Pant and Iyer, before declaring.

CLEAN SWEEP COMPLETE 💥

A clinical India prove to be too strong for Sri Lanka, winning the second Test by 238 runs in Bengaluru.

#WTC23 | #INDvSL | bit.ly/INDvSL-Test2 https://t.co/4URHMdFsjU

In search of a mammoth target of 446 runs, Sri Lanka were dismissed for 208 on Day 3. While Dimuth Karunaratne was defiant at one end and smashed a valiant 107 off 174 balls, every other batter failed to make a mark.

Here are the hits and flops from the second Test between India and Sri Lanka.


#4 IND vs SL: Flop - Virat Kohli (India)

IND vs SL: Virat Kohli after getting dismissed during the second Test against Sri Lanka [P.C:BCCI]
IND vs SL: Virat Kohli after getting dismissed during the second Test against Sri Lanka [P.C:BCCI]

After failing to make much of an impact in his 100th Test at Mohali, Virat Kohli's arrival in Bengaluru generated much hype among his fans.

However, much to everyone's dismay, the former India skipper once again failed to live up to the expectations. He prolonged his lean patch by getting dismissed for 23 runs in the first innings. However, it can be said that it was a rather unlucky dismissal as the ball remained considerably low, resulting in a LBW.

IND vs SL: Virat Kohli's wait for his 71st international century continues (File Photo)
IND vs SL: Virat Kohli's wait for his 71st international century continues (File Photo)

In the second innings, he was once again trapped in front, in a similar fashion. With the expectation for the ball to bounce adequately, Kohli tried to play a leg-sided shot on the backfoot. However, the ball skidding through meant he was beaten completely.

The right-hander could only manage to score 13 runs. With another failure, Kohli's Test average went below 50 for the first time in the last five years.


#3 IND vs SL: Hit - Jasprit Bumrah (India)

IND vs SL: Jasprit Bumrah posing with the ball after taking a fifer [P.C: BCCI]
IND vs SL: Jasprit Bumrah posing with the ball after taking a fifer [P.C: BCCI]

On a surface that was well-suited to spinners, Jasprit Bumrah put up a stirring exhibition of pace bowling. Through his precision and impeccable execution, he claimed his first five-wicket haul on Indian soil in the first innings.

Bumrah was persistent with his line and length on a dusty track with little assistance for pacers. Changing his pace adroitly, the right-armer left the struggling Sri Lankan batters with little room to maneuver. Bumrah's figures of 10-4-24-5 in the first innings were also the best for any Indian pacer against Sri Lanka in Tests.

IND vs SL: Jasprit Bumrah once again showed how capable he is as a fast bowler (File Photo)
IND vs SL: Jasprit Bumrah once again showed how capable he is as a fast bowler (File Photo)

The 28-year old was excellent in the second innings as well. With a booming in-swinger, he got the better of thirimanne" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Lahiru Thirimanne in the very first over. In his second spell on Day 3, Bumrah bamboozled a well-set Karunaratne before disturbing Suranga Lakmal's furniture in the next over.

The Gujrat-born pacer ended the game with eight wickets to his name, playing a pivotal part in getting the opposition out twice.


#2 IND vs SL: Flop - Lahiru Thirimanne (Sri Lanka)

thirimanne" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Lahiru Thirimanne, who made his comeback into the Test side, endured a tough series against India. He batted in two different positions in the second Test. However, it made no significant difference as he was dismissed cheaply on both occasions.

In the first innings, Thirimanne came out to bat at No.3. He started off his innings with two boundaries against Bumrah. However, his stay was short-lived as the right-arm pacer trounced him by taking an outside edge off his bat. Thirimanne could've left the ball, which was outside off-stump, but was gone while chasing it and got dismissed on 8.

Another one!

Jasprit Bumrah gets Lahiru Thirimanne for 8.

#WTC23 | #INDvSL | bit.ly/INDvSL-Test2 https://t.co/RK6McQ7NaF

As mentioned earlier, Thirimanne was once again on the receiving end of the same bowler. This time, however, as an opener. The left-hander was beaten by sheer pace and was plumb in front of the wicket. His dismissal also registered Thirimanne's second duck of the series.


#1 IND vs SL: Hit - Shreyas Iyer (India)

IND vs SL: Shreyas Iyer smashed consecutive half-centuries in the second Test [P.C:BCCI]
IND vs SL: Shreyas Iyer smashed consecutive half-centuries in the second Test [P.C:BCCI]

Shreyas Iyer has had a terrific start to his Test career. In 7 innings, Iyer has smashed a ton and three half-centuries, two of which came during the second Test against Sri Lanka.

Replacing former India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane in the side, Iyer continued to establish himself as a first-choice middle-order batter. Where almost all other batsmen failed to stay in the middle for a long time, the right-hander played a commanding knock of 92 off just 98 deliveries.

Clobbering as many as 10 boundaries and 4 sixes, he counterpunched the Lankan bowlers and helped India post a total in excess of 250 in the first innings.

All f-iyerd up ☄️🔥 https://t.co/PmvJWlMFLm

Iyer shone once again in the second innings. Coming in at No.6, the 27-year-old stitched two crucial partnerships, with Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, of 45 and 63 runs respectively. He kept finding boundaries and once again top-scored for his team with 67 off 87 balls.

With twin fifties in the same match, Iyer became the first Indian to achieve the sensational feat in a day-night Test encounter. It is worth mentioning that Iyer was playing his debut pink-ball Test.

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