India claimed a massive innings-and-239-run win over Sri Lanka in Nagpur on Monday take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. This is India’s joint-biggest win in Test cricket.
India skittled the visitors for 166 runs in their second innings after lunch on the fourth day of the second Test. The visitors had earlier been reduced to 145/8 at lunch after resuming play at 21/1, still trailing India by 384 runs.
Ravichandran Ashwin, the pick of the bowlers for India, became the fastest bowler to reach 300 Test wickets, overtaking Australia’s Dennis Lillee. He took 4/63 in the second innings, with his final wicket – a crafty carrom ball to get Lahiru Gamage bowled after a review – helping him reach the landmark. Ravindra Jadeja (2/28), Umesh Yadav (2/30) and Ishant Sharma (2/43) shared six wickets between them.
Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal was the only batsman who put up a fight with a battling half-century. But while he held up the innings from one end, his teammates were guilty of playing loose shots.
The captain was finally dismissed by Umesh Yadav after a 82-ball 61 putting an end to his lone battle. After Sri Lanka were reduced to 145/8 at lunch, he put up a fifty-run stand with Suranga Lakmal who was finally unbeaten for 31 off 42 balls.
India had earlier declared their first innings at 610/6 with skipper Virat Kohli scoring a majestic 213 and Rohit Sharma scored an unbeaten 102. The huge 405-run lead was enough to make sure the hosts didn’t need to bat again. Sri Lanka were all out for 205 in the first innings. Kohli was declared man of the match.
The first match of the series was hit by rain and ended in a draw in Kolkata.
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