Sri Lanka v India: India clinch series victory


India clinched a series victory over Sri Lanka in just eight days as Ravindra Jadeja spun the tourists to victory by an innings and 53 runs in Colombo.

Test scores (Colombo)

India win by an innings and 53 runs

India 1st inns: 622-9 dec (Pujara 133, Rahane 132, Jadeja 70*, Saha 67, Rahul 57, Ashwin 54; Herath 4-154)

Sri Lanka 1st inns: 183 (Dickwella 51; Ashwin 5-69)

Sri Lanka 2nd inns: 386 (Karunaratne 141, Mendis 110; Jadeja 5-152)

Day four report

India clinched a series victory over Sri Lanka in just eight days as Ravindra Jadeja spun the tourists to victory by an innings and 53 runs in Colombo.

The tenor of the game was already set long before day four, with Sri Lanka following on thanks to a 439-run first-innings deficit, and even Dimuth Karunaratne's determined century could not hold off the inevitable as they were bowled out for 386.

Karunaratne, on 92 overnight in a total of 209 for two, reached his sixth Test hundred in the morning and eventually made 141 in 307 deliveries though it was never going to be enough to make India bat again.

After Ravichandran Ashwin picked off Malinda Pushpakumara, Jadeja took control by taking the next five wickets as the home side collapsed against some high-class bowling.

Jadeja returned five for 152, from 39 overs, completing a successful match in which he became the fastest left-arm spinner to 150 Test scalps.

Ashwin finished things off just before tea, ending a token resistance from the tail, making it 2-0 with one to play. It meant that for the second successive Test, tourists India sealed a victory in just four days.

Jadeja's day quickly took a turn for the worse when he was suspended from the third Test for a breach of the International Cricket Council's disciplinary code.

The all-rounder pleaded guilty to the charge, which related to throwing the ball "in a dangerous manner" towards Karunaratne as he fielded off his own bowling on day three.

He was duly lost 50 per cent of his match fee and earned three demerit points, taking him to a total of six in past two years and earning a one-game ban.

Day three report

Kusal Mendis made a quickfire 110 as Sri Lanka showed some battling qualities in their follow-on, but India remain firm favourites to win the second Test in Colombo.

India, 1/16 with Sky Bet, looked on course to wrap up the series with a match to spare when Ravichandran Ashwin's five-wicket haul saw Sri Lanka succumb to 183 all out in response to the tourists' 622 for nine declared.

Another heavy defeat for the hosts loomed - having been beaten by 304 runs in Galle last week - but they made amends after being asked to bat again and, led by the counter-attacking Mendis, closed on 209 for two at stumps on day three.

After coming to the crease when Upul Tharanga was bowled by Umesh Yadav for two, the 22-year-old Mendis settled into his stride with back-to-back fours off Ashwin, the first two of 17 he would score in his 135-ball knock.

He continued to score at pace and brought up his third Test hundred off only 120 balls, while his stand of 191 with Dimuth Karunaratne has at least given Sri Lanka a glimmer of hope in saving the game.

Mendis departed shortly before the close when he was caught behind off Hardik Pandya, only his second Test wicket, but Karunaratne was still there on 92 not out at the close.

Sri Lanka, 50/1 to claim an unlikely win, will be hoping the opener pushes to three figures and beyond on day four as they still trail by 230 runs with two days left to play.

Day two report

India are 1/6 to win the second Test against Sri Lanka as Ravichandran Ashwin impressed with bat and ball on day two in Colombo.

Centuries from Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane on day one put the tourists in command and there was no real let-up on Friday as India ran up a mammoth 622 for nine declared before reducing their opponents to 50 for two at stumps.

Resuming on 344 for three, India lost Pujara (133) after adding just six runs to their tally, but Ashwin (54) came to the crease and made a solid half-century.

Before Ashwin's dismissal by Rangana Herath, who took four for 154, the impressive Rahane (132) was stumped off the bowling of Malinda Pushpakumara, who claimed his first Test victim.

Hardik Pandya added a quickfire 20, Wriddhiman Saha put together a solid 67 and Mohammed Shami smashed his way to 19 from just eight balls - including two sixes.

Ravindra Jadeja (70 not out) was also in fine form but the all-rounder was unable to better his top Test score of 90 before the tourists declared after tea, leaving Sri Lanka a tricky 20 overs to negotiate before the close.

The hosts suffered an almost immediate setback as opener Upul Tharanga was dismissed for a duck by Ashwin in just the second over.

The off-spinner then claimed his second scalp, snaring Sri Lanka's other opener Dimuth Karunaratne for 25 to leave the home side reeling on 33 for two.

Sri Lanka managed to avoid anymore setbacks before the close, but India's lead of 572 runs leaves them well placed to wrap up the three-match series with a Test to spare.

Day one report

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane hit a century apiece to put India in a dominant position on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.

The pair put on an unbroken stand of 211 to see the tourists through to 344 for three at the close of play as they look to wrap up the three-match series with a game to go.

Pujara finished the day unbeaten on 128 after recording his 13th Test century, while Rahane ended on 103 not out after bringing up three figures in the closing moments of the day as Sri Lanka's bowlers were given the runaround.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, India made a bright start with Shikhar Dhawan continuing his good form and the fit-again KL Rahul taking the attack to the new ball.

Rahul was afforded a lifeline in the 10th over after being given out lbw, only to overturn it on review, but Dhawan suffered no such luck when Dilruwan Perera successfully reviewed another appeal an over later to have him trapped in front for 35.

Pujara took his time to acclimatise to conditions in partnership with Rahul, and the pair had added 53 before a mix-up saw the opener short of his ground as he was run out for 57.

Virat Kohli suffered another first-innings disappointment as he edged Rangana Herath to slip for just 13 to leave India 123 for three.

However Pujara and Rahane batted for more than 50 overs to put India in a supreme position of strength going into the second day, with Pujara recording his 4,000th Test run in the process.

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