Sri Lanka vs India 2017: 5 highest individual scores in Tests

India and Sri Lanka have always had shared a grueling Test rivalry. Ever since the first encounter between the nations in 1982, the countries have played each other in a total of 38 Tests, with 17 of them held in India, and the remaining 21 in Sri Lanka.

India leads the tally with 10 wins while the Lankans have a total of 7 wins. The remaining 15 matches have ended in a draw.

Both nations have produced some of the brilliant batsmen of their generation, and many of them have registered some scintillating knocks in the Tests India and Sri Lanka has locked horns in.

In this article, we recap the five highest individual scores registered by batsmen over the years:

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Sanath Jayasuriya (340)

The flamboyant former Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya was amongst a class of batsmen who impressed fans with their free-flowing style of batting. A wonderful stroke-maker, Jayasuriya was adept against pace and spin alike and had a special ability to put the opposition under severe pressure with his imperative strokeplay.

Known for decimating any bowling attack in the world, the left-hander seemed to have an added affinity for Indian bowlers.

Jayasuriya has an incredible track record against Indian bowling, scoring 938 runs in 10 Tests with an impeccable average of 93.8. His record of the highest individual score of 340 serves as testament to that.

1997 saw the first Test of India’s tour of Sri Lanka. The Men in Blue played the guests at the renowned Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. India had posted 537/8 in the first innings and reduced Sri Lanka to 39/1 at the end of Day 2.

A few more wickets in the first session the next day would have set the course for a win. But what followed next can only be described as an inhumane onslaught.

Jayasuriya, partnered with Roshan Mahanama, batted for the next two days posting a 576 run partnership until Mahanama was trapped LBW by Anil Kumble on day 5.

In the process, Jayasuriya registered his highest individual score against India, a mammoth 340 off 578 balls.

Virender Sehwag (293)

Sehwag was on the verge of scoring his third triple ton but fell short by just seven runs

With brute force and valour his main weapons, Sehwag became known in the sport for his fearless batting approach. He put no curbs and limitations on the bowling attack he faced, and trusted his natural instincts.

His mammoth scores came with panache.

During Sri Lanka’s tour of India in late 2009, Virender Sehwag scored a match-winning knock of 293 to lead India to their second innings victory on the trot. With the win, India dominated to go on to a 2-0 series win over the visitors.

Having already scored two triple-centuries in his career (309 against Pakistan in 2004, 319 against South Africa in 2008.), Sehwag was on the verge of a third at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai when he resumed batting on the third day of the Test on 284.

However, he ended up chipping a catch straight to the hands of off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and culminated his innings on 293, paving the way for India to seal the match.

Mahela Jayawardene (275)

Jayawardene could make any bowling attacks toil for days with his perseverance and deft strokeplay

Blessed with excellent hand-eye coordination and fine footwork, former Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene ranks third on the list with his innings of 275 in the first test during the side’s tour of India in 2009.

India went to bat first and posted 426 runs on the scoreboard, courtesy centuries from Rahul Dravid (177) and MS Dhoni (110).

Little did the Indian bowlers know, however, that the Lankan batsman would not be intimidated by the total.

Sri Lanka batted for the next two days.

A magnificent double century from Jayawardene coupled with Dilshan’s 112 and P. Jayawardene’s 154 helped the island nation to post a mammoth 760 runs.

The Men in Blue, however, salvaged a draw with Gambhir and Tendulkar scoring much-needed centuries to keep the Lankan bowlers at bay.

Mahela Jayawardene (242)

Jayawardene enjoyed playing against India and some of his best knocks have come against the neighbors

A prolific and a classy batsman with an appetite to score runs, Jayawardene had the perfect skill set and penchant for occupying the crease for long and scoring big hundreds. A stylish batsman with a wide array of strokes up his repertoire, Jayawardene could make any bowling attacks toil for days.

He enjoyed playing against India and some of his best knocks have come against the neighbors as well. One of his most remembered innings is his 242 during the Asian Test Championship in 1999.

Centuries by Sadagopan Ramesh (143) and Rahul Dravid (107) helped India post a big total of 518 runs on the board. A 22-year-old young Mahela Jayawardene then displayed his early signs of greatness as he single-handedly kept India at bay with fantastic innings of 242 runs off 465 deliveries in the one-off Test at the SSC in Colombo.

Roshan Mahanama (225)

Mahanama had an early retirement from cricket after he was unceremoniously dropped from the squad following the 99' World Cup disaster

An intrepid batsman at the top of the order, Roshan Mahanama was best known for his deft strokeplay and for being a brilliant fielder on the pitch.

A key member of Sri Lanka's World Cup winning side of 1996, Mahanama takes the final spot in the listicle with his innings of 225, the highest score of his career.

In the same match where Jayasuriya scored his 340, Mahanama played one of the most memorable knocks of his career, contributing from the other end of the wicket with a crucial 225 off 561 balls.

India batted first and finished their innings at 537/8d courtesy of centuries from Sachin, Azharuddin and NS Sidhu. The duo then batted for two consecutive days posting a mammoth 576 run partnership until Mahanama was trapped LBW by Anil Kumble on day 5.