India vs Sri Lanka Tests: Top 5 innings aggregates

India and Sri Lanka, the two sub-continent giants of cricket, have produced some of the finest Test batsmen.

In addition, batting-friendly sub-continent pitches have ensured that whenever these two teams have locked horns, runs have flown in plenty.

The elegant strokeplay of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, and Sachin Tendulkar has always been a treat to watch, while Sehwag and Jayasuriya's aggression was always another big attraction for fans.

Here, we look at the five highest innings aggregates in Tests played between India and Sri Lanka. From double hundreds to triple hundreds, these matches exhibited some high-quality batting.

Let us relive those moments:

#5- 1428 runs, at Mumbai, 2009. (Sri Lanka- 393 and 309. India- 726/9 dec)

Test cricket returned to Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai after 36 years and Virender Sehwag ensured it was a memorable return.

Team India came to Mumbai with a 1-0 lead in the Test series in 2009, having already seen plenty of high scores. But Sehwag kept the best for the last Test.

Responding to Sri Lanka’s first innings score of 393, the Indian batsman consolidated a 221-run opening partnership in 235 balls with Murali Vijay, who had been roped in to replace the injured Gautam Gambhir. Vijay contributed 87 runs to that partnership.

For the next wicket, Sehwag added 237 runs with Rahul Dravid at 5.51 runs per over. Dravid scored 68 runs in that partnership, which was only broken when Sehwag handed a simple return catch to Muralitharan on the third morning of the match.

The right-handed Nawab of Najafgarh smashed 293 runs in 254 balls. It wasn’t just a brave or an aggressive innings. It was a statement by one of cricket’s greatest entertainers, one who believed in dominating the bowlers.

He displayed at Mumbai this time around, the true extent of his domination.

The second day of the match was also all about Sehwag who smashed the Lankan bowlers to all parts of the ground. His trademark drives and cuts were on display - as was some phenomenal innovation

He played reverse paddle sweeps and fine glances behind square leg almost, apparently, at will.

The visitors looked helpless as Sehwag made full use of the flat surface and humid conditions.

By the time he finished his onslaught, India had reached a mighty score of 456 in just 82 overs.

Then-skipper MS Dhoni followed the suit and smashed an unbeaten hundred off just 159 balls to take India’s first innings score to 726.

A shocked Sri Lankan side, which was completely blanked out after witnessing the Sehwag show fumbled to 309 in their second innings except for Sangakkara (137), with India winning the match by an inning and 24 runs.

#4. 1441 runs, at Chennai 1982. (Sri Lanka 346 and 394, India 566/6 dec and 135/7)

Duleep Mendis (c) pictured in 1984 put up a solid fight against India in the '82 series

In Sri Lanka’s first official tour of India, the visitors were trashed by the hosts in all three ODI’s.

Then came the only Test match at Chennai, where they were reduced to 11 for two down.

Another Sri Lankan batting collapse looked inevitable, but the duo of RL Dias and Duleep Mendis had other plans.

The partnership rescued Sri Lanka and allowed them to reach a respectable total.

After scoring a gritty hundred, Mendis was out leg before to India's slow left-armer Dilip Doshi, who claimed five wickets in the innings, while Dias accumulated 60 runs.

However, there was no such reprieve for Sri Lanka’s bowlers. India’s top order tormented the visitors with some classy and delightful batting.

Sunil Gavaskar scored an elegant 155 while Arun Lal and Vengserkar chipped in with half-centuries.

Sandeep Patil batted patiently with the tail-enders to push India’s first score and made an unbeaten hundred.

The inexperienced Sri Lankan bowlers failed to trouble India’s top quality batsmen and India declared their innings at 566 for six wickets.

The duo of Dias and Mendis returned in the second innings to again rescue the visitors - and it was their combined batting effort which ensured Sri Lanka was able to save the match. Mendis scored his second hundred of the game while Dias missed the triple figure mark by only three runs.

With a target of 175 runs to achieve in less than two sessions, India pushed the accelerator in the fourth innings.

However, Ashantha de Mel’s five wicket haul meant the Test ended in a draw.

Although the honours were shared in this Test with India being the strategically better team, Sri Lanka’s determined approach won them many accolades.

#3. 1478 runs at Colombo 2010. (Sri Lanka 642/4 dec and 129/3 dec, India 707)

Kumar Sangakkara scored a double-hundred here

A match that saw several sublime displays of batting, the 2nd Test between India and Sri Lanka in 2010 achieved nothing - except for boosting the statistics of several batsmen on either side.

Played on a pitch that remained flat for all five days, the Test match was a forgettable experience for bowlers from both sides. However, for Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, it was an opportunity to exhibit their batting prowess. Sangakkara scored a scintillating double hundred while Jayawardene piled up 174 runs.

Former Sri Lankan skipper Sangakkara’s elegant stroke play was complemented by Jayawardene’s classic batting and the show reached its pinnacle as Tendulkar amassed a composed 203.

Suresh Raina, making his Test debut for India, joined the party and scored 120 runs in his maiden Test innings.

India scored 707 runs in response to Sri Lanka’s 642. The two innings consumed a total 385 overs, and ensured that the Test resulted in an inconsequential draw.

#2. 1489 runs, at Colombo 1997. (India 537/8 dec and Sri Lanka 952/6 dec)

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14 wickets in 437 overs and six hundred in five days - that is how the Colombo Test in 1997 unfolded.

It could have been easily forgotten as one of a number of numerous sleepy sub-continent Tests featuring mammoth first innings totals, but Sanath Jayasuriya pumped some excitement and life in the game.

On a pitch that was described by then-captain Sachin Tendulkar as ‘unfit for Test cricket', the visitors scored 537 runs in the first innings with Sidhu, Azharuddin, and Tendulkar scoring individual centuries.

However, the limelight was stolen by Jayasuriya, who, along with Roshan Mahanama (225) denied India a wicket for the first one and a half days of play.

On the fifth morning, the Sri Lankan batsman was finally out after scoring 340 runs.

Although Jayasuriya missed Lara’s record for the highest individual score, he helped Sri Lanka to reach 952 runs, the record for this highest team score in Tests.

The Test ended with both teams only completing their first innings.

#1. 1598 runs, at Ahmedabad 2009. (India 426 and 412/4 dec, Sri Lanka 760/7 dec)

The first Test between India and Sri Lanka in 2009 witnessed seven hundred in three innings and an aggregate of 1598 runs. For bowlers, the pitch was a deathbed but the fans enjoyed some high-quality batting throughout the five days.

On the opening day Rahul Dravid exhibited the skills to survive the scare of the new ball and scored a vigilant and composed 177. Later MS Dhoni, India’s skipper showed the ways of dominating the old ball by producing an aggressive hundred.

Tilakratne Dilshan’s quick-fire 112 off 133 balls was a tough a competition to Dhoni’s knock but the best of the lot was Mahela Jayawardene who scored 275 runs in his trademark classic batting style.

Classy and elegant: Mahela Jayawardene during his 275

The right-handed batsman exploited the flat track and milked India’s bowlers with ease. His surgical stroke making along with the elegant use of wrists pumped life in the match.

He added 351 runs with Prasanna Jayawardene, who too scored a watchful hundred.

In the second innings, Gautam Gambhir and Tendulkar scored hundreds to improve their numbers and ensured that the match ended without any result.