Rohit Sharma could not have asked for a better start to his tenure as Test captain thanks to “rock star” Ravindra Jadeja’s all-around exploits as India hammered a bland Sri Lankan side by one innings and 222 runs in 3 days in the first of 2-game series at Mohali On Sunday.
India took 16 wickets on Day 3 as Sri Lanka were eliminated twice in 4 sessions to concede a 1-0 lead in the 2-match streak.
The win also ended India’s 2-game losing streak in Tests as they moved past defeat by South Africa earlier this year to return to winning ways, albeit at home against the Sri Lanka side who were undecided as the Test match progressed was .
The class gap between the two sides as the visitors, led by Dimuth Karunaratne, were no match for the well-oiled Indian side, who paid a fitting tribute to former captain Virat Kohli, who was completing his 100th Test at Mohali.
India vs Sri Lanka, Test 1 Day 3: Highlights
175*, 9 wicket match haul: ROCKSTAR JADEJA REIGNS SUPREME
Ravindra Jadeja, paying tribute to one of his earliest mentors – the late Shane Warne – single-handedly dominated Sri Lankans with bat and ball as he became only the sixth cricketer to score over 150 points and receive a 5-wicket haul in a test match. He wrote history by becoming only the 3rd Indian and the first in 60 years after that Poly Umrigar in 1962.
Jadeja finished the 2nd inning with numbers of 4/46 to follow the 5-wicket haul in the first innings as Sri Lanka tied for 174 and 178 on Sunday.
Jadeja’s 175 not out helped India post a mammoth total of 574/8, declared in their first innings after Rohit won the toss and opted to bat. He returned to injure Sri Lanka with the ball, picking up a 5-wicket draw and giving away just 41 runs while bundling Sri Lanka for 174 in the first innings.
Jadeja, who sacked Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne on Day 2 of the series opener, ran through the Sri Lankan lower middle class in Sunday’s first session. Jadeja took out Niroshan Dickwella for 2 and then Suranga Lakmal in the same over for 0. He then got the wicket of tail-enders Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara in back-to-back deliveries as India bowled Sri Lanka for 174 in the first innings and sealed a tremendous 400 run lead.
Captain Rohit didn’t hesitate to follow through as India only threw 65 overs in his first innings.
R ASHWIN PASSES KAPIL DEV AS SRI LANKA FOLLOW-ON
It was R. Ashwin’s time to magic in the 2nd innings as the off-spinner removed opener Dimutth Karunaratne early after Sri Lanka were asked to hit again. He then took the big wicket from Pathum Nissanka, who had hit a coarse-grained 61 in the first innings to equal Kapil Dev’s tally of 434 wickets in the all-time Test wicket-taker list.
Ashwin still had to wait a bit to get the milestone wicket, but he got Charith Asalanka right after Tea to overtake Kapil on the elite list. At 435 wickets and counting, Ashwin is now the second highest Indian wicket-taker in Tests, trailing only Anil Kumble, who finished his decorated career with 619 wickets. Ashwin is now ranked 9th on the all-time lists.
Jadeja and Ashwin shook Sri Lanka, ending a fierce resistance from Angelo Matthews and Asalanka. Jadeja got the great wicket from Matthews for hitting the last nail in the visitor’s coffin, after which he removed Suranga Lakmal for a pair.
Pacers Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah didn’t have to work much as they only played 35 overs together in the first Test. Fifth bowler Jayant Yadav also failed to get through much.
It was disappointing to see a shy batting performance from Sri Lanka who were expected to do better against Spin after India had shown the way and scored more than 500 overall on a good batting field at Mohali. Pathum Nissanka was the only slugger from the Sri Lankan side to manage to hit a fifty in a disappointing show in the first test.
MANY POSITIVES FOR NEW CAPTAIN ROHIT
Early in the Test, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant missed the hundreds by just 4 runs after Kohli folded for 45. India were in trouble but a 130 run stand between Jadeja and Ashwin for the 7th wicket won the match away from the Sri Lankans.
Jadeja batted wonderfully well with tail-ender Mohammed Shami as the two added 103 runs for the 9th wicket before India failed to declare their innings with Jadeja at 175, their highest Test score.
India took a lot of positives from their big win in the first Test as Hanuma Vihari also shone as he batted 3rd for the first time and hit a fifty in the first innings. Captain Rohit wasn’t busy but looked confident about leading India in white for the first time.
The 2nd Test, a day-night affair, will be played in Bengaluru from March 12th.
