Top 5 Test matches between India and Sri Lanka

#4 Kandy – 2001

Dravid and Ganguly batted really well in the fourth innings to help India chase down 264.

After being beaten neck and crop in the first Test in Galle on a green pitch, India were without their spearhead Javagal Srinath for the second Test (he was ruled out with a fractured left hand).

On a pitch which was similar to the first Test, Ganguly opted to bowl first. The Indian bowlers made good use of the conditions as Lankans managed just 274 and that too on the back of a very good 104 from Mahela Jayawardene. The onus was now on the Indian batsmen who had failed to touch the 200-mark in both innings of the first Test. However, they succumbed to some excellent fast bowling led by Chaminda Vaas (who took 4/65) conceding a 42-run lead after being bowled out for 232.

India needed to restrict the Lankans to a low score and they did exactly that. Zaheer Khan and Venkatesh Prasad bowled superbly as they shared nine wickets to bowl the hosts out for 221. The visitors needed 264 to level the series. But considering the way they had batted in the series and it being a fourth-innings pitch, the chase was always going to be tricky.

However, Rahul Dravid’s 75 and skipper Ganguly’s unbeaten 98 ensured India levelled the series as they completed the chase in almost 79 overs.