Sri Lanka tour of India 2022: 3 match-winning knocks by Indian batters on home soil against Sri Lanka
Team India have been a dominant force over Sri Lanka in Test matches at home. In the 20 Tests played between the two teams on Indian soil, Team India have won all 11 and drawn nine.
Sri Lanka face a strong Indian team in the two-Test match series starting on March 4. The visitors are look to re-write the history books and win their first-ever Test on Indian soil.
Indian batters have played a key role in the team's success against Sri Lanka at home. Here's a look at three such match-winning innings played by Indian batters against Sri Lanka in home Tests:
#1 Virender Sehwag - 293 at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai in 2009
In 2009, Sri Lanka toured India for a three-match Test series, and were down 0-1 after the first two games.
While the Test in Ahmedabad ended in a draw, Team India thrashed the visitors by an innings and 144 runs in the second Test in Kanpur. The third Test in Mumbai saw one of the best innings ever on Indian soil.
Virender Sehwag thrashed the Sri Lankan bowlers after the visitors were bundled out for 393 in their first innings on a good batting wicket.
Sehwag smashed 40 boundaries and seven sixes in a knock of 293 from just 240 deliveries, taking the game away from the Lankans. Sehwag dominated the Sri Lankan bowling attack comprising Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Kulasekara and Chanaka Welegedara. He was on the verge of scoring the third triple hundred of his career, but was dismissed by Muralitharan
Riding on Sehwag's knock, India scored 726-9 declared. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 309 in their second innings as India won the Test by an innings and 24 runs. Sehwag was adjudged the Man of the Match for his breathtaking innings.
#2 Virat Kohli - 213 at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, 2017
Sri Lanka last toured India for a Test series in 2017. The three-Test match series ended in favour of the hosts who won it 1-0. Virat Kohli scored three hundreds in the series, with two of them being doubles, as he averaged 152.50 in five innings in the series.
One of the two double centuries was a match-winning knock in Nagpur in the second Test. In that game, batting first, Sri Lanka scored 205 on a good batting wicket.
In response, Virat Kohli played a spectacular knock of 213 off 267 deliveires. His innings included just 17 boundaries and two sixes. The then captain held the Indian innings together as the hosts amassed a mammoth 610.
The visitors were bundled out for 166 in their second innings as India won by an innings and 239 runs, with Kohli adjudged the Man of the Match.
#3 Dilip Vengsarkar - 166 at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack in 1986-87
India were 1-0 up going into the final Test against Sri Lanka in 1986-87. Dilip Vengsarkar ensured the hosts won the Test and the series 2-0. It was also India's first-ever series win against Sri Lanka on home soil.
In the third Test of that series in Cuttack, India won the toss and elected to bat first. They scored 400 in their first innings, which was largely possible due to Dilip Vengsarkar's brilliant innings.
The Indian middle-order batter, who batted at No.4, dominated the Sri Lankan bowling attack, scoring 166. He faced 279 deliveries, and smashed 14 boundaries. No other batter apart from Kapil Dev scored more than 50 in that Test.
Sri Lanka were bundled out for 191 and 142 in their two innings as Team India won by an innings and 67 runs.