Player of the Match
Player of the Match

2.40pm Eight days - that's all India needed to secure the series with one Test to go. Spare a thought for Dimuth Karunaratne, who made a resolute 141 - the third-highest score by a Sri Lankan when following on. Spare a thought for the sweep-happy Kusal Mendis who made a thrilling hundred on this turner. The end, however, was rather swift for the hosts in the post-lunch session. Jadeja struck thrice in three overs to dismiss Karunaratne, Mathews, and Dilruwan Perera. All three batsmen had been undone by ripping deliveries. Jadeja went onto claim his ninth five-wicket haul, and second away from home. Dickwella and Herath then engaged in sweeps and reverse-sweeps to frustrate India before Pandya and Ashwin provided the coup de grâce. India take their second successive series on the island with this innings-and-53-run victory.

Jadeja, Man of the Match: In the first innings, the ball was not turning that much. When we came onto bowl, we got turn from the middle part of the wicket. Mendis played very well and played some brilliant shots. Yeah, they batted very well. As a spinner, it is always a challenge when a batsman plays a sweep shot on a regular basis. We have to change our field and line and length.

Chandimal: To be honest, you can't control the toss. We were outplayed with bat and the ball in the first innings. But I was happy with the way we played in the second innings. We just want to take positives from this game. Kusal and Dimuth played some really good cricket.You can tell now (In hindsight, could you have played another seamer?). Unfortunately, Angelo can't bowl at the moment. Asela is the one who consistently performs, yes it's a loss. Looking forward to the next game.

Kohli: The way the wicket behaved and how it was getting worse by the day and the lead of more than 440 prompted us to enforce the follow-on. I haven't been a big fan of enforcing it, though. At international level, you expect teams to come and play like that (on Mendis' and Dimuth's innings). They batted really well. You need to have those tough times to improve as cricketers. If you enjoy the hard moments, you enjoy the good moments as well. Never get complacent as a side - that's important. Four byes on that sort of pitch speaks of his (Saha's) quality. He is definitely the best keeper in this format I will say. How agile he is! He is very safe behind the stumps. Our batting was outstanding again. Pujara and Rahane - our two best Test batsmen - Rahul getting runs and Jadeja contributing down the order.

Worry not if you had missed the action. Viewers in the subcontinent except Sri Lanka can watch the highlights here. You can also watch our flagship show Match Day with Deep Dasgupta and Farveez Maharoof on the homepage. Thanks for your company and comments. Do come back for the third Test, starting August 12. Until then, it's goodbye from myself, Deivarayan Muthu, Al Muthu, Varun Shetty, Nikhil Kalro, and Sanjay Murari.

Ravi Thacker: "I am appalled to see Pradeep being sent to bat . Looks like he isn't part of SLCs future plans . I see no other reason for sending an injured player to bat at No.11 when the game is all but lost."

Snehil: "I think Jadeja is in line for a Man of the Match award for his all round performance. His contribution of 70* shall not go unnoticed as seeing how Srilanka have fought in the second innings the runs he scored seem to be more crucial now for that innings win."

116.5
W
Ashwin to Pradeep, OUT, It's all over at the SSC. Tossed up slower and higher outside off. Pradeep - busted hamstring and all - aims a biiiig slog-sweep. He only shoots up a top-edge in the air. Dhawan, who set up the series for India with a breakneck 190, fittingly sews up the series. He settles under this skier at mid-on and slaps the thigh

N Pradeep c Dhawan b Ashwin 1 (7m 9b 0x4 0x6) SR: 11.11

Bharath Seervi: First time 2 India players have scored 50+ and took 5-wkt haul in the same Test - Ashwin and Jadeja

Sundararajan Go: "If Pradeep has busted a hamstring, what is the rationale behind him coming out to bat? It's not as if the matching is hanging in the balance and he needs save it for SL!"

116.4
0
Ashwin to Pradeep, no run, flighted on off, opens the face and defends to cover

Abhijith: "I think it's time Ra-Ra went in for a lie down on the masseurs table while Shami and Umesh wrapped up the tail"

116.3
0
Ashwin to Pradeep, no run, An appeal for lbw. Not given. India ask for a review Looks like another carrom ball. Pitches outside leg and swerves away to rap the front pad
116.2
0
Ashwin to Pradeep, no run,
116.1
0
Ashwin to Pradeep, no run, flicks out the carrom ball, drifts in from outside leg, elicits a leading edge, but does not carry to Ashwin

SL v IND 2017 News

All-rounders' double blast

3

Instances of 2 players from a team with 50+ and 5-for in a Test, including Ashwin & Jadeja this match. Others: Giffen-Trott v Eng 1895 & Bresnan-Broad v Ind 2011.

Karunaratne goes big

2

No. of higher scores for SL when following-on, than Karunaratne's 141. The highest is by Karunaratne himself, when he made 152 in Christchurch in Dec 2014.

Third-innings player

4

No. of centuries for Karunaratne in 3rd inns of Tests in last 3 years. No other batsman has scored more than 2 such 100s in this period.

Counter-attacking stand

142

Previous highest partnership for SL when following-on, by Mathews-Samaraweera in Cape Town 2011-12. Karunaratne-Mendis have added over 150 runs.

Big deficit

439

SL's first-innings deficit in this match, their highest ever in Test history. For India, it's their third-biggest first-innings lead.

Very quick

32

No. of Tests taken by Jadeja to reach 150 wickets, the quickest by any left-arm bowler. Mitchell Johnson was the previous quickest, in 34 Tests.

Big score

2

No. of larger totals by visiting teams in Sri Lanka than India's 622/9 in this match. India had scored 707 at this same venue in 2010 and B'desh 638 in Galle in 2012-13.

Combined effort

2

No. of instances of 6 Ind batsmen scoring 50+ in an away Test, including today. The first time was at The Oval in 2007.

Ashwin's double

0

No. of players to complete 2000+ runs and 250+ wkts in their career in fewer Tests than Ashwin, who has done it in his 51st Test. Hadlee had got there in his 54th.

Love for second Tests

5

No. of centuries for Rahane in the 2nd matches of a Test series, in 17 innings. He has only 4 centuries in 50 innings of other matches of a series.

Three in three

3

No. of centuries for Pujara in as many Tests in Sri Lanka. He had made 145* at SSC in 2015 and 153 in Galle before this century.

Match of milestones

4

No. of India batsmen to aggregate over 4000 runs in first 50 Tests, including Pujara. Gavaskar (4947), Dravid (4135) and Sehwag (4103) are the others.

Left-arm spin trouble

34.25

Kohli's ave against left-arm spin bowlers in Tests this year, getting out 4 times in 10 inns. Before this year, he averaged 170.50 and got out only twice.

Rahul's hot streak

6

No. of consecutive 50+ scores for KL Rahul, including today's knock. Viswanath and Dravid are the only other India batsmen to do so.

Landmark test

50

No. of Tests for Pujara. This is the 50th match of his Test career.