Jadeja spins an Indian win

Sri Lanka’s resolve was unmistakable but the challenge they were up against was insurmountable. They were defeated but not disgraced.

It’s not often that a team suffering an innings defeat would feel as satisfied as the winning team itself. Sri Lanka lost the second Test — and with that the three-match series — by an innings and 53 runs but they had every reason to feel proud of the way they batted in the second innings on a tricky surface against an attack that had world’s top two bowlers in its ranks.

After a contrasting middle day on Saturday, which Sri Lanka finished at an impressive 209/2 as against their first innings surrender of 183 all out, the hosts continued to make the Indian bowlers work hard again for almost each of their wickets.

Of course the rub of the green again went the hosts’ way as edges either fell short or were grassed but still it was a creditable effort by Lanka who came close to making India bat again after having started their second innings with a deficit of 539 runs to India’s first innings total of 622/9 declared.
The Lankan fightback eventually ended at 386 all out in 116.5 overs when Nuwan Pradeep holed out to Shikhar Dhawan at mid-on six minutes before tea interval on the fourth day here at the SSC Ground. India had won the first Test at Galle also inside four days.

Having gone 22 years without winning a Test series in the island nation, India now have won two back to back rubbers following their 2-1 triumph on their last visit here under the same captain. Virat Kohli’s team now has a rare chance of inflicting a whitewash outside of India in a series involving more than two Tests.             

Man of the match Ravindra Jadeja (5/152), who was put off his length on the third evening by the aggressive Kusal Mendis, came with a perfect riposte in the session after lunch. The left-arm spinner claimed his ninth five-wicket haul as Lanka imploded after Damith Karunaratne’s dismissal. That set the cat among pigeons as Jadeja also accounted for Angelo Mathews (36), Dilruwan Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva and from being 310 for four at one stage, Lanka lost their remaining six wickets for the addition of 76 runs.     

Overnight 92, Karunaratne (141, 377m, 307b, 16x4) earned another reprieve when on 95 with KL Rahul unable to hold on to a flick at short-leg off Jadeja. Jadeja wasn’t to be denied his wicket but not before the opener brought up his sixth career century and his fourth in the second innings. Even as India threatened to wrap up the proceedings by scalping night-watchman Malinda Pushpakumara and skipper Dinesh Chandimal in quick succession, R Ashwin (2/132) and Jadeja sharing the wickets, Karunaratne and Mathews prevented another collapse as Lanka departed for lunch at a healthy 304 for four.

After resumption, Jadeja was all over Lanka. It needed a special delivery, almost unintendedly, by the Saurashtra all-rounder to get rid of Karunaratne who had shown impeccable temperament to play one of the best innings, if not the best, of his career. After pitching on the middle, the ball spat up from good length, brushed past the glove to put Ajinkya Rahane in business not for the first time in the match. It was only befitting that the Indian players went and congratulated the southpaw for the magnificent knock.

With Karunaratne’s departure, the Lankan challenge also fizzled out quickly. No amount of praise is too high for the way Indian bowlers bowled. With balls missing edges, edges falling short and catches going abegging, it was important to keep the intensity going and not get frustrated. It was always a matter of when rather than if and India did well to keep their composure.