Sri Lanka vs India 2017: Five things India did right to smash Sri Lanka in third Test

India registered their 5th series whitewash in Test cricket (3 Tests or more), defeating Sri Lanka by an innings and 171 runs in the third Test at Pallekele a thus recording their second successive innings victory. It was also India’s first series whitewash abroad (3 Tests or more) and only the second time that India won three Tests in a Test series overseas, the previous such instance coming nearly half a century back in 1968 when India defeated New Zealand 3-1.

A brilliant opening stand from Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul followed by Hardik Pandya’s blistering 108 helped India to 487. In reply, Sri Lanka could only score 135 thanks to Kuldeep Yadav’s spell of 4/40. In the second innings, brilliant bowling by Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami helped India dismiss the hosts for only 181, thus winning the match and clean-sweeping the series.

With India ending the Test series in remarkable style, let’s take a look at five things that India did right in the final Test.

#5 Mohammed Shami’s bowling

Shami bowled pretty well throughout the match

The Indian bowlers did a terrific job throughout the match. Amongst the pacers, one person who really stood out was Mohammed Shami. With the ball, Shami took two wickets in the first innings, that of Dimuth Karunaratne and Upul Tharanga. The pacer’s performance in the second innings was more commendable as he picked up three wickets for 32 runs.

His first scalp was night-watchman Malinda Pushpakumara following which he dismissed Kusal Mendis with a full delivery towards the leg stump which hit Mendis on the pads. Shami’s third scalp was Lakshan Sandakan who nicked a length delivery straight to Wriddhiman Saha.

#4 Ravichandran Ashwin’s second innings spell

Ashwin finished the series as the highest wicket-taker

One of India’s best players throughout the series, Ashwin was fairly decent with the bat, scoring 31 in the first innings. With the ball, he picked up two wickets in Sri Lanka’s first innings with his first wicket being the big one of Dinesh Chandimal who was looking settled at the crease on 48. He then dismissed Lakshan Sandakan and ended the innings with figures of 2/22.

However, Ashwin really made it count during the second innings where he was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 4/68. His first wicket was that of Dimuth Karunaratne following which he got the big wicket of Angelo Mathews for 35 with a full delivery which the 30-year-old failed to sweep.

Ashwin’s third wicket was Dilruwan Perera following which he ended the match by bowling out Lahiru Kumara with a carrom ball. The offie thus ended the series as the highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets.

#3 Kuldeep Yadav’s brilliant first innings spell

Kuldeep Yadav bowled a brilliant spell of 4/40 in the first innings

With Ravindra Jadeja suspended for the third Test due to his breach of the ICC Code of Conduct, the team management had to choose one out of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel to fill in for Jadeja. The former was preferred and he delivered a sensational performance.

Yadav first made an impression with the bat as he assisted Hardik Pandya with a composed 26 from 73 deliveries, adding 61 for the seventh wicket. After performing decently with the bat, Yadav produced a sensational performance with the ball during Sri Lanka’s innings.

After assisting in the run-out of Kusal Mendis, Yadav tore apart the Sri Lankan lower middle-order. Just as the hosts were looking to come back in the innings, the 22-year-old dismissed Niroshan Dickwella, thus breaking the 63-run partnership between him and Dinesh Chandimal.

The chinaman got his second wicket by dismissing Dilruwan Perera for a duck. Yadav then bowled out Malinda Pushpakumara and Vishwas Fernando to end with figures of 4/40 as the hosts were bundled out for 135. This is Yadav’s best spell in Test cricket as of now.

#2 The brilliant opening stand between Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul

Dhawan and Rahul added 188 for the first wicket

Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul provided India with a strong start, adding 188 runs for the first wicket. Both players dealt in boundaries with Dhawan being the aggressor, smashing boundaries all around the ground especially through the midwicket, cover, and point regions.

Rahul batted relatively slowly when compared to Dhawan but his timing and footwork were exquisite as he reached his seventh consecutive 50+ score in Tests, equaling the record for the most number of consecutive scores of 50+.

Rahul was eventually dismissed for 85 but Dhawan batted his way to a century, his second of the series, before being dismissed for 119 off just 123 deliveries. The opening partnership was one of the key reasons why the Indian innings was not affected too much despite most of the middle-order being dismissed early.

#1 Hardik Pandya’s blitzkrieg

Pandya scored a magnificent century to guide India to 487

Following the dismissal of both openers, India stood at 219/2. However, the middle-order batsmen were unable to stay at the crease for long with only skipper Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin contributing with scores of 42 and 31. The likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, and Wriddhiman Saha who performed brilliantly with the bat in the second Test, were dismissed for just 8, 17, and 16 respectively.

From 188/0 at one time, India lost their next five wickets for just 120 runs with Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav then arriving at the crease. The 23-year-old Pandya began toying with the Lankan bowlers and reached his second Test fifty. He batted aggressively and in the 116th over smashed Malinda Pushpakumara for 26 runs in an over, thus breaking the record for the most number of runs scored by an Indian in an over in Tests, bettering Sandeep Patil’s 24 runs against Bob Willis at Old Trafford in 1982.

Pandya eventually reached his maiden century in international cricket, thus becoming the fifth Indian player to score his maiden first-class century in a Test match. Pandya eventually departed for 108 from 96 deliveries, 107 of which came in the first session of Day 2, bettering Virender Sehwag’s 99 for the most number of runs by an Indian batsman in a single session of a Test.

Pandya’s innings helped India reach 487 and he also took a wicket in the match, dismissing Angelo Mathews for a duck in the first innings. Pandya was eventually adjudged the Man of the Match for his brisk innings.