6 Talking Points from the Third Test Between Sri Lanka and India

India won the three-match series against Sri Lanka 2-1An enthralling Test series between two young teams in transition has finally come to an end. Sri Lanka won the first from the jaws of defeat while India won the second by playing even better than they did in the first sans the two bad sessions. That set up the series nicely before the third.Rain could have dampened the spirits, especially after only 15 overs were possible on Day 1 of the third Test. But since then, not too many overs were lost and a good match that went into the last session was conjured. The Test will be talked about for a long time not just for the intensity of the cricket, which was high class right through, but also for the nature of the pitch – a sporty, spicy one except on the final day and for the player tiffs that manifested during several heated moments.In the end, India prevailed, winning it's first away series since West Indies in 2011, the first series win in Sri Lanka for 22 years and that too coming back from 0-1 down in the first Test. However, the young Indian team has won hearts with their aggressive, walk-the-talk intensity and skills with bat and ball in the tough situations.

#1 The resurgence of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Sharma

Ashwin picked up 21 wickets to win the Man of the Series award

The biggest plus for India from this series is the resurgence of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Sharma. Ashwin finished with 21 wickets in the series, the most by any Indian bowler in an India-Sri Lanka Test series and deservedly picked up the Man of the Series award. Ishant took eight wickets in the final Test, reaching a major milestone of 200 Test wickets as well, the 8^th Indian player to achieve the feat.

Ashwin got back his mojo through patience and getting the art of classical off-spin right without relying on too many variations. Ishant has finally got his wrist position right, delivering the ball with a beautiful seam, something he has rarely managed across his career. His economy in this match is another stand-out showing he is not only the workhorse but is now actually the spearhead, drying the runs, getting the bounce, softening the batsman with short-pitched deliveries and getting big wickets when needed even with fuller deliveries.