On This Day — India Crush Sri Lanka by an Innings and 53 Runs in Colombo Test

It was a complete performance from India, both with the bat and ball, and a tough loss for the home side. The win not only gave India a 2-0 lead in the series but also highlighted their growing strength in overseas conditions. Here’s a look at how this memorable match unfolded step by step.

India vs Sri Lanka: 2nd Test from 3-6 August 2017

The 2nd Test match between Sri Lanka and India, played at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club Ground from August 3 to 6, 2017, was a one-sided affair with India winning by an innings and 53 runs, thereby securing a 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Ravindra Jadeja was the star of the show, named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 70 runs and seven wickets across Sri Lanka’s two innings.

India’s 1st Innings

India won the toss and decided to bat, and they absolutely took Sri Lanka apart, racking up 622/9 declared in 158 overs across two days. It was like watching a batting masterclass, with big scores and partnerships that left Sri Lanka’s bowlers chasing shadows. Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul started with a bang, putting on 56 runs in just 10.1 overs. Dhawan was in a hurry, smashing 35 off 37 balls with five fours and a six, going at a strike rate of 94.59, until Dilruwan Perera got him lbw. Rahul played it cooler, making 57 off 82 balls with seven fours, but a mix-up with Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella got him run out.

Then Cheteshwar Pujara stepped in, doing what he does best, grinding out a brilliant 133 off 232 balls, with 11 fours and a six, at a strike rate of 57.32. His massive 217-run stand with Ajinkya Rahane for the fourth wicket was the heart of India’s innings, just crushing Sri Lanka’s bowlers. Rahane was awesome too, scoring 132 off 222 balls with 14 fours, until debutant Malinda Pushpakumara had him stumped. Virat Kohli, usually the king of batting, had a rare bad day, making just 13 off 29 balls with two fours, caught by Angelo Mathews off Rangana Herath.

Ravichandran Ashwin came through with a solid 54 off 92 balls, hitting five fours and a six, adding 63 runs with Pujara. Wriddhiman Saha, the wicketkeeper, kept things steady with 67 off 134 balls, including four fours and a six. Hardik Pandya brought some excitement, blasting 20 off 20 balls with three fours, while Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 70 off 85 balls, with four fours and three sixes, gave India a late surge. Mohammed Shami went nuts, smashing 19 off 8 balls with a four and two sixes, helping India sail past 600 before declaring. Umesh Yadav was not out on 8 off 9 balls with a four.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers were all over the shop, Herath tried his hardest, taking 4/154 in 42 overs, while Pushpakumara got 2/156. Perera and Dimuth Karunaratne each picked up one wicket, but Nuwan Pradeep was expensive, leaking 63 runs without a wicket. India’s batsmen were on fire, jumping on every loose ball and fielding mistake. By the end of day one, they were 344/3, with Pujara (128) and Rahane (103) looking unstoppable. Those big partnerships, especially Pujara and Rahane’s, plus the late fireworks from Jadeja and Shami, built a monster total that put Sri Lanka in a world of trouble right from the start.

Sri Lanka’s 1st Innings

Sri Lanka’s first innings was a complete trainwreck, as they got bowled out for 183 in just 49.4 overs, trailing India by a massive 439 runs. It all went wrong when Upul Tharanga was out for a duck in the second over, caught by KL Rahul off Ravichandran Ashwin’s spin. Dimuth Karunaratne tried to hold things together, making 25 off 45 balls with two fours, but Ashwin got him too, caught by Ajinkya Rahane. Kusal Mendis showed a bit of spark, scoring 24 off 64 balls with four fours, but Umesh Yadav had him caught by Virat Kohli.

Captain Dinesh Chandimal managed 10 off 34 balls, including a six, before Hardik Pandya took a catch off Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling. At 64/4, Sri Lanka were in deep trouble, with India’s bowlers running the show. Angelo Mathews and Niroshan Dickwella tried to fight back with a 53-run stand for the fifth wicket. Mathews made 26 off 33 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes, but Cheteshwar Pujara caught him off Ashwin. Dickwella was the only one who really took it to India, smashing 51 off 48 balls with seven fours and a six, but Mohammed Shami bowled him to kill the resistance. Dhananjaya de Silva lasted one ball, bowled by Jadeja for a duck.

Dilruwan Perera fought back with 25 off 34 balls, including three fours and a six, but Ashwin got him out. Rangana Herath made just 2 off 5 balls before Shami struck, and Nuwan Pradeep was bowled by Ashwin for a duck. Malinda Pushpakumara was left unbeaten on 15 off 22 balls, with a four and a six. India’s bowlers were ruthless, Ashwin led the way with 5/69 in 16.4 overs, Jadeja took 2/84, Shami 2/13, and Yadav 1/12. The innings lasted just 195 minutes, showing how much Sri Lanka struggled against spin. They kept playing rash shots, and partnerships barely got started, with wickets falling like dominoes.

By the end of day two, they were 50/2, and day three saw them collapse completely, forcing them to follow on. Ashwin’s clever spin and Jadeja’s tight bowling made life miserable, while Shami’s pace kept them on their toes. The quick dismissals of big names like Chandimal, Mathews, and Mendis showed how outmatched Sri Lanka were, leaving them with a huge gap to close in their second innings. It was a rough day for the home side, with their batsmen unable to find any rhythm against India’s relentless attack.

Sri Lanka’s 2nd Innings (Following On)

Forced to follow on, Sri Lanka showed a lot more fight in their second innings, scoring 386 in 116.5 overs, but it wasn’t enough to stop India. Dimuth Karunaratne was the hero, batting for 377 minutes to score 141 off 307 balls with 16 fours. His century, reached off 224 balls, was a gritty, determined effort that kept Sri Lanka in the game. Kusal Mendis backed him up with a brilliant 110 off 135 balls, smashing 17 fours, and their 191-run stand for the second wicket gave Sri Lanka real hope. But Mendis fell, caught by Wriddhiman Saha off Hardik Pandya, and things started to slip.

Upul Tharanga was out early for 2, bowled by Umesh Yadav, putting pressure on the top order right away. Malinda Pushpakumara made 16 off 58 balls before Ashwin bowled him, and captain Dinesh Chandimal had a tough day, scoring just 2 off 6 balls, caught by Ajinkya Rahane off Jadeja. Angelo Mathews added 36 off 66 balls, with three fours and a six, building a 69-run partnership with Karunaratne, but Jadeja got him caught by Saha. Niroshan Dickwella showed some grit, scoring 31 off 56 balls with four fours, before Rahane caught him off Pandya. Dhananjaya de Silva hit a quick 17 off 17 balls, but Jadeja had him caught by Rahane.

Dilruwan Perera scored 4 before being stumped off Jadeja, while Rangana Herath stayed not out on 17 off 30 balls with three fours. Nuwan Pradeep was the last man out, caught by Dhawan off Ashwin for 1. Jadeja was the star bowler, taking 5/152 in 39 overs, with Ashwin grabbing 2/132, Pandya 2/31, and Yadav 1/39. Mohammed Shami bowled tightly but didn’t take a wicket. Sri Lanka’s batting was way better this time, with Karunaratne and Mendis leading the way. Chandimal later said they used sweep and reverse-sweep shots well to handle the spinners, which helped them last longer. But India’s bowlers, especially Jadeja, kept the pressure on.

The new ball after 80 overs turned the game, and big wickets like Karunaratne’s and Mathews’ on day four sealed the deal. Despite the loss, Sri Lanka’s effort, especially Karunaratne’s marathon knock, gave them some hope for the future. India’s tight bowling and Jadeja’s all-round brilliance clinched their first innings victory in Sri Lanka, a massive achievement. It was a tough fight, but India’s dominance was clear, while Sri Lanka showed they could put up a battle when they got it together.