Sri Lanka vs India 2017: 5 things that India did right to beat Sri Lanka

India sealed the Test series against Sri Lanka by defeating them in the second Test at Colombo by an innings and 53 runs. This was India’s 9th innings victory over Sri Lanka and their first at Sri Lanka. In reply to India’s 622 in the first innings, the Lankans could only pile manage 183 in their first innings thanks to Ravichandran Ashwin’s fifer.

Virat Kohli forced the hosts to follow-on and Sri Lanka lost Upul Tharanga early but Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis batted brilliantly with the latter being the aggressor in a second-wicket partnership that garnered 191 runs . Mendis reached his third Test century and things were looking good for Sri Lanka before Hardik Pandya got the key wicket of Mendis and Sri Lanka were 198/2.

Malinda Pushpakumara was sent up the order at No.4 and he stayed at the crease along with Karunaratne till the end of day 3. During the beginning of day 4, India had a golden opportunity to dismiss Karunaratne only for KL Rahul to drop him. The batter then brought up his hundred with a boundary.

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India got their third wicket after Ashwin dismissed Pushpakumara following which Ravindra Jadeja dismissed skipper Dinesh Chandimal. However, Angelo Matthews joined Karunaratne on the crease and they put up a partnership of 69 for the fifth wicket to bring the hosts back into the game. Jadeja broke the partnership by dismissing the danger man Karunaratne for 141 and Sri Lanka were 310/5.

Karunaratne’s dismissal triggered a downfall in the Sri Lankan batting and the remaining players couldn’t stay at the crease for long. Sri Lanka were eventually dismissed for 386 and Ravindra Jadeja was righteously adjudged Man of the Match for his spell of 5/152 in the second innings in addition to his 85-ball 70 in the first innings.

With the third Test merely being a formality, let’s take a look at five things that helped India ground Sri Lanka in the second Test.

#5 Handing the ball to Hardik Pandya in the second innings

Hardik Pandya broke the 191-run partnership between Mendis and Karunaratne

The Indian spinners had done brilliantly in the first Test and had done equally well to restrict Sri Lanka to just 183 in the first innings of the second Test. Due to Ashwin and Jadeja’s exploits with the ball, the likes of Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami did not have to bend their back and Hardik Pandya wasn’t even given a chance to bowl during the first innings.

In the second innings, Sri Lanka were doing well after losing Tharanga early with Mendis and Karunaratne steady on the crease. With neither of Ashwin, Jadeja, Yadav, or Shami able to take a wicket, Virat Kohli introduced Hardik Pandya into the attack. The 23-year old produced a much needed breakthrough by sending Kusal Mendis back to the pavilion, thus ending a 191-run partnership for the second wicket.

Pandya got a second wicket by dismissing Niroshan Dickwella, thus ending Sri Lanka’s hopes of saving the match. He ended the innings with figures of 2/31 which are his best figures in Test Cricket as of now.

#4 Good batting by the lower middle-order batsmen

Fifties from Wriddhiman Saha, Ravi Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja helped India cross 600

India’s tone had been set by the 217-run partnership between Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane with both batsmen continuing their good form in the series. Following Cheteshwar Pujara’s dismissal for 133, Rahane was given brilliant assistance at the crease by Ashwin and after his departure for 132, Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha continued to keep India’s scoreboard ticking.

Ashwin went on to reach his 50 before being dismissed shortly after for 54. Hardik Pandya came on to bat and he hit three boundaries before perishing in the attempt of clearing long off. At that point, India were 496/7 as Ravindra Jadeja joined Wriddhiman Saha.

Both players were batting patiently and Saha soon reached his half-century. Jadeja then gradually began to show some aggressive intent as he began to hit some big shots. Following Saha’s dismissal for 67, Jadeja played some brilliant shots en route to his fifty. He ended on 70 from 85 deliveries as India wrapped up their innings at 622/9.

Pujara and Rahane’s centuries were vital for India’s cause but had it not been for the fifties made by Saha, Ashwin, and Jadeja, India might have had to wait longer for the win.

#3 The partnership between Pujara and Rahane

Pujara and Rahane added 217 for the fourth wicket

Openers Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul gave India a pretty steady start with India’s 50 coming up within 10 overs. However, Dhawan couldn’t convert his good start into a big score as he was dismissed for 35 from 37 deliveries.

KL Rahul brought up his fifty but even he didn’t stay long after that as some miscommunication between him and Cheteshwar Pujara resulted in the Karnataka batsman being sent back for 57. Skipper Virat Kohli soon followed Rahul back into the pavilion after scoring just 13 and India were 133/3.

At this point, two of India’s most reliable batsmen, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, were at the crease and the duo proved why they were called so as they played with a lot of composure.

With a blend of immaculate footwork and sublime timing, both Rahane and Pujara reached their hundreds and India were in a strong position. The duo added 217 runs for the fourth wicket before Pujara was sent back for 133. Rahane was on the crease for a while before he was dismissed for 132.

However, by the time both Pujara and Rahane were dismissed, India’s tone had already been set by their partnership.

#2 Spinners continue their good form

Ashwin and Jadeja both took five-wicket hauls in the Test

Over the past couple of years, both Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have been in tremendous form for India. Even though they haven’t thrived a lot on the flat and bouncy tracks, their performance on the subcontinental wickets has been nothing but sensational.

Both spinners took almost 60% of all wickets combined during the three home series against New Zealand, England, and Australia. Ashwin and Jadeja batted well in the first innings with both scoring fifties. However, their bowling was even more brilliant with Ashwin picking up his 26th five-wicket haul in Tests with his spell of 5/69 in the first innings.

Jadeja took 2/84 in the first innings. In the second innings, the spinners were given a hard time by Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis but once Mendis was dismissed, Jadeja tore apart the Sri Lankan middle order and also dismissed Karunaratne. By picking up the wicket of Dilruwan Perera, Jadeja became the fastest left-arm bowler to pick up 150 Test wickets. Sri Lanka were dismissed for 386 and Jadeja ended with figures of 5/152.

#1 Jadeja’s all-round showing

Jadeja scored a fifty and picked up seven wickets in the Test

By the time Ravindra Jadeja came in to bat in the first innings, India were already in a good position at 496/7 with Wriddhiman Saha well set on the crease and not far away from his fifty. He began slowly but gradually elevated his scoring rate and began to go for the big hits.

After Wriddhiman Saha’s dismissal, Jadeja’s aggression helped India cross 600 and helped him reach his 7th Test half-century. Jadeja ended on 70 from 85 deliveries, smashing four boundaries and three sixes.

During Sri Lanka’s first innings, Jadeja took the wickets of Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva, ending with figures of 2/84. In the second innings, he produced a sensational performance as he picked up his 8th 5-wicket haul in Test match cricket, dismissing Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Matthews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dilruwan Perera and the dangerous Dimuth Karunaratne to end with figures of 5/152.

Jadeja was deservingly named Man of the Match for his brilliant all-round performance and provided he produces a similar performance in the third Test, he might be the Player of the Series.