Top 5 Test matches between India and Sri Lanka

#1 Colombo (SSC) - 2015

Ishant Sharma took 8 wickets in the game.

With the series tied at 1-1, it was turning out to be a closely contested series in 2015. In the third Test, Sri Lanka opted to bowl first on a surface which had a decent covering of grass. The move seemed to have worked very well as the hosts had India on the mat at 180/7 in the first innings.

But a superb recovery led by Pujara (who carried his bat with a memorable 145) and Mishra (59) helped India get to a par total of 312. Ishant Sharma, who was charged up after being involved in a verbal-battle with Dhamika Prasad (while batting) bowled superbly as he took 5/54 to help India bowl the hosts out for 201.

With a lead of 111, India put up 274 in the second innings with the help of contributions from the middle and the lower middle-order (Ashwin and Rohit Sharma scored 50s). Sri Lanka were set a target of 386. They needed to bat for about 110 overs.

By the end of the fourth day, the Test match looked as if it was headed only one way – India’s way as the Lankans were 67/3 at the close of play. However a brilliant 135-run partnership between Angelo Mathews (110) and Kusal Perera (70) ignited hopes of an unlikely Sri Lanka win. But an ill-advised reverse-sweep minutes before tea led to Perera’s downfall and opened the floodgates. Eventually, the hosts were all-out for 268 as they handed India a 117-run win which helped them win their first series in Sri Lanka since 1993.