Pallekele: Ravichandran Ashwin’s 4/68 and Mohammed Shami’s 3/32 helped India crush Sri Lanka by an innings and 171 runs on Day 3 of the Pallekele Test. This
is the first time that India have whitewashed their opponents away from home in a minimum of three-Test series. Dinesh Chandimal’s men were all out for 181 in
their second innings after being made to follow on. Ashwin took four wickets while Shami finished with the figures of 3/32. Earlier, the hosts were bundled out for
135 on Sunday after India posted 487 in their first innings.
India skipper Virat Kohli was delighted on achieving the historic feat and said: “A good day, a good win. Always nice to have a convincing win. I would say the
regulars have performed, the biggest positive was Hardik’s inclusions – he gives us a boost in the middle order. We are a young side, looking forward to all Tests,
that’s the only way you can be ruthless. We like to be proactive instead of reactive.”
Chandimal said: “You can’t control the toss, a tough series as a team. India played some good cricket. Our batting and bowling was below-par through the series.
We had to be more patient and concentrate more.”
Shikhar Dhawan as adjudged Man of the Series while Hardik Pandya, who hammered a quickfire hundred was named Man of the Match for his all-round show. “I
was glad that I got my first hundred here, situation pretty good for me. I was always going to have a target in mind. Test cricket is not easy to get five-fors, takes
plenty of hardwork. I’m alright with where the team needs me to bat,” Pandya said after the match.
