26/07Result
1st Test, India tour of Sri Lanka at Galle, Jul 26-29 2017
India won by 304 runs
Player of the Match
Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar DhawanIndia
26/07Result
1st Test, India tour of Sri Lanka at Galle, Jul 26-29 2017
India won by 304 runs
Player of the Match
Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar DhawanIndia

Day 4

Report
2659dThe Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy

Ashwin, Jadeja wrap up 304-run win

R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets each as India secured their biggest away win in terms of runs, an hour after tea on the fourth day

2066dAndrew Fidel Fernando in Galle

'We are a better team than this' - Herath

The Sri Lanka captain said his team expected the pitch to be good for batting from before the game began, and wanted it to be so, but failed to execute their plans

Day 3

2660dShiva Jayaraman and Srinath Sripath

Why captains choose not to follow-on these days

From 1981 till the famous Kolkata Test of 2001, almost 91% of the teams who could did enforce the follow-on in a Test. Since then, that number has dropped to 56.70%

2066dAndrew Fidel Fernando in Galle

SL need to solve the Perera conundrum

By impressing in the role he hasn't been picked for, the frontline spinner has made his case as a batting allrounder

Day 2

2066dAndrew Fidel Fernando at the SSC

Languid, loose, luckless

Is he this blinding talent that is constantly checked by blameless adversity? Is he on a career-long quest to tick off every bizarre dismissal? Where does the bad luck end? Where does Upul Tharanga begin?

2660dAndrew Fidel Fernando in Galle

Notes from SL's press conference in 2030

Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are still being missed, Rangana Herath is bowling with the help of a walker, and the video analyst needs a dietitian

Day 1

2066dSidharth Monga in Galle

Fortunate Dhawan directs his sail

A player making a comeback could easily have been content with hundred more routine than 190 off 168 balls, but that's where Shikhar Dhawan did more

Others

2066dSidharth Monga in Galle

'Every Test match is a blessing'

Two days before what is set to be his 50th Test match, R Ashwin spoke about how he has changed, as a cricketer and a person, in the two years since he last toured Sri Lanka

2663dSidharth Monga in Galle

India look to defy ghosts of past Galle defeats

India have grown in strength since their 2015 defeat in Galle, but they need to be clinical for sustained periods to take down Sri Lanka at what has become an impregnable fortress

Preview
2663dThe Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando

Shaky Sri Lanka brace for tougher test

While India will rely on Cheteshwar Pujara in the absence of their first-choice openers, much of Sri Lanka's fortunes will depend on Kusal Mendis and stand-in captain Rangana Herath

Humongous target

1

No. of bigger targets set by India in Tests, than the 550 runs in this match. They had set NZ 617 in Wellington in 2008-09 and that match ended as draw.

Top-four high

2009

Last time India's top-4 scored 3 or more centuries in a Test, before this match. Gambhir, Sehwag and Dravid had scored 100s against SL in Kanpur.

Mukund's best

62

Abhinav Mukund's previous highest score in Tests. His fifty in this innings is only his second in 14 Test innings/

Huge lead, no follow-on

1

No. of bigger first inns leads for Ind after which they did not enforce follow-on. Dravid had chosen to bat again after 319-run lead at Oval 2007 and that was drawn.

Big gain

309

India's first innings lead in this match, their highest ever in a Test in Sri Lanka. Their previous highest was lead of 192 runs in Galle in 2015.

Dilruwan loves Galle

3

No. of 50+ scores for Dilruwan Perera in his last 4 Test innings in Galle, including this inns. 3 of his 5 Test fifties have come in Galle.

Mathews continuing it

339

Runs scored by Mathews when India toured Sri Lanka last time, in 2015. He was the highest run-getter of the series and also the only one to make 2 100s.

Another 600

5

No. of 600-plus totals by India in last one year, including this. All other teams combined have scored only one such total; Australia v Pak at MCG.

Nuwan's first

0

No. of five-wicket hauls for Nuwan Pradeep in his Test career, before this game. He gets his maiden five-for in his 25th Test. He had six four-fors.

Herath's rare failure

2

No. of times Herath has conceded over 100 runs before taking a wicket in a home Test, including this match. The earlier one was also in Galle, v Pak in 2000.

Makes'em big

6

No. of 150+ scores for Pujara, including this innings. He has converted 50% of his centuries into 150+ scores - 6 out of 12.

Dhawan's session

110

Previous most runs by an India batsman in the 2nd session of the day, by Polly Umrigar v WI, PoS 1961-62. Dhawan has overcome that starting the session on 64*.

Starts strong

4

No. of 100s for Dhawan in the first or only Test of a series, including this. The only exception was his 187 on debut which was the 3rd Test of that series.

Second-wicket high

8

No. of century partnerships for the 2nd wicket for India since 2016, easily the most among all teams. NZ are next with 5 century stands for that wicket.

Dhawan v Sri Lanka

63.85

Dhawan's ave in International matches against SL, before today - his best against any opposition (2+ inns). He scored 125 in recent Champions Trophy match.