India's clean sweep of victories in Tests

#2 India vs Sri Lanka 3-0, 1993/94

Captain Mohammad Azharuddin led from the front against the Lankans

Sri Lankans came to the Indian board’s rescue as Pakistan decided to cancel their visit to India amid fears about security. The Indian batsmen had another series to remember as the neighbours were condemned to a 3-0 series loss, with all the defeats coming with an innings to spare.

India won the first Test held at Lucknow by a huge margin of an innings and 119 runs thanks to 11 wickets in the match by leggie Anil Kumble. The Indian batsmen set it up with a massive score of 511 in the first innings as Sidhu (124) and Tendulkar (142) piled on the runs.

The Islanders struggled to cope against the Indian bowlers as they were bowled out for 218 in the first innings, as Kumble picked 4 wickets and 174 in the second innings with the Karnataka spinner causing 7 dismissals and was adjudged the Man of the Match. He showed great tenacity and determination as he bowled with injuries to his bowling arm and fingers.

In the second Test at Bangalore, Indian batters once again put up a mammoth 541 in the first innings with captain Azhar (108) scoring a century and half-centuries from Sidhu (99), Tendulkar (96), Kambli (82) and Kapil Dev (53). Manoj Prabhakar and Kapil ran through the Sri Lankan batting line up, restricting them to 231, making sure the follow-on was enforced.

Hashan Tillakaratne (80) put up a semblance of resistance the second time around, but he lacked able support from his teammates as Sri Lanka lost the game by an innings and 95 runs.

Unlike the first two matches, the third match at Ahmedabad was completely set up by the Indian spinners, with left-arm spinner Venkatapathy Raju being the main protagonist. He picked 5 wickets in the first innings as he made the Sri Lankan batsmen dance to his tunes with their innings crumbling to just 119. Man of the Match Azharuddin (152), hit another wonderful century on a difficult wicket as India took a first innings lead of 239.

Raju was at it again as he single-handedly ran through the Island nation’s batsmen, beating them with his guile on his way to a 6-wicket haul as the Indians finished deserving winners by an innings and 17 runs.

It was an emphatic display by the Indians as they outplayed the Lankans in all departments of the game and took the series 3-0. There was another cause for celebration in the series as World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev became the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, going past Sir Richard Hadlee’s 431 scalps, when he dismissed Tillakaratne in the final test at Ahmedabad.