On This Day — India Defeat Sri Lanka by an Innings and 171 Runs to Seal Historic 3-0 Whitewash in Pallekele

This emphatic result completed the whitewash and showcased India’s all-round strength. Led by Virat Kohli, the side featured standout performances from Shikhar Dhawan, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, and others. Every department clicked, with both batting and bowling firing in unison, making this tour a memorable chapter in India’s overseas Test cricket success.

India vs Sri Lanka: 12th-14th August 2017

On August 12, 2017, the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy hosted the third Test between India and Sri Lanka, a match that turned into a three-day rout. Virat Kohli, who won the toss and chose to bat on a pitch that promised runs early but turned for spinners later. India crushed Sri Lanka by an innings and 171 runs, sealing a historic 3-0 series whitewash, their first clean sweep in an overseas Test series of three or more matches. Hardik Pandya’s explosive century and a wicket made him the match’s star, while Shikhar Dhawan’s 358 runs across the series earned him Player of the Series honours. For Sri Lanka, led by Dinesh Chandimal, it was a brutal defeat, with Chandimal later calling the series his career’s lowest point. India’s batting depth and sharp bowling left the hosts with no answers.

India’s First Innings

India’s first innings was a masterclass, piling up 487 all out in 122.3 overs over roughly nine hours, scoring at 3.97 runs an over. Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul kicked things off with a stunning 188-run opening stand that had Sri Lanka’s bowlers chasing shadows on day one. Dhawan was on fire, hammering 119 off 123 balls with 17 fours in a 209-minute display. His cover drives and square cuts were textbook, and he raced to his hundred before Malinda Pushpakumara had him caught by Chandimal in the 47th over. Rahul played the steadier role, making 85 off 135 balls with eight fours at a 62.96 strike rate, until Pushpakumara got him caught by Dimuth Karunaratne in the 39th over.

That left India at 188 for 1, in complete control. Cheteshwar Pujara came in but couldn’t find his rhythm, scratching out 8 off 33 balls before Angelo Mathews caught him off Lakshan Sandakan in the 50th over. Virat Kohli steadied the ship with 42 off 84 balls, hitting three fours, but Sandakan had him caught by Karunaratne in the 78th over. Ajinkya Rahane added 17 off 48 balls with one four, bowled by Pushpakumara in the 65th over. At 296 for 5, India needed more, and Ravichandran Ashwin chipped in with 31 off 75 balls, including one four, before Niroshan Dickwella caught him off Vishwa Fernando in the 88th over.

Wriddhiman Saha scored 16 off 43 balls, caught by Dilruwan Perera off Fernando in the 91st over. Then Hardik Pandya walked in and stole the show, blasting 108 off 96 balls with eight fours and seven sixes, his three sixes in a Pushpakumara over lighting up the stadium. His 62-run stand with Kuldeep Yadav for the eighth wicket pushed India further. Kuldeep made 26 off 73 balls with two fours, caught by Dickwella off Sandakan in the 111th over. Mohammed Shami hit 8 off 13 balls with a four, caught and bowled by Sandakan in the 114th over. Umesh Yadav was not out on 3 off 14 balls.

Extras added were 24 including 10 byes, 6 leg byes, 2 no-balls, 6 wides. Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled, with Sandakan taking 5 for 132 in 35.3 overs, dismissing Pujara, Kohli, Kuldeep, Shami, and Pandya. Pushpakumara grabbed 3 for 82 in 23 overs, Fernando took 2 for 87 in 26 overs, but Lahiru Kumara leaked 104 in 23 overs without a wicket. India hit 329 for 6 by day one’s close and finished on day two, setting a daunting target.

Sri Lanka’s First Innings

Sri Lanka’s first innings was a nightmare, collapsing to 135 all out in 37.4 overs in under three hours at 3.58 runs an over. Trailing by 352 runs, they were forced to follow on, their batting looking hopelessly fragile. Dimuth Karunaratne and Upul Tharanga opened, but India’s bowlers were relentless. Tharanga smashed 5 off 5 balls with a four, only to be caught by Wriddhiman Saha off Mohammed Shami in the third over. Karunaratne battled for 4 off 15 balls, but Shami had him caught by Saha in the fifth over.

Kusal Mendis fought back with 18 off 19 balls, cracking four fours, until a sharp run-out by Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav in the ninth over left Sri Lanka at 38 for 3. Dinesh Chandimal stood firm, top-scoring with 48 off 87 balls, his six fours coming at a 55.17 strike rate, but the rest kept falling. Angelo Mathews was gone for a duck off 3 balls, pinned lbw by Hardik Pandya in the 10th over. Niroshan Dickwella showed some spark with 29 off 31 balls, four fours included, before Saha stumped him off Kuldeep in the 21st over after a 63-run stand with Chandimal gave brief hope.

Dilruwan Perera lasted 4 balls for no score, caught by Pandya off Kuldeep in the 23rd over. Malinda Pushpakumara hung in for 10 off 27 balls with two fours, bowled by Kuldeep in the 33rd over. Lakhan Sandakan scored 10 off 24 balls with two fours, caught by Dhawan off Ashwin in the 38th over. Vishwa Fernando made a duck off 10 balls, bowled by Kuldeep in the 37th over, while Lahiru Kumara was not out on 0 off 1 ball. Extras gave 11 more runs. India’s bowlers were ruthless, with Kuldeep Yadav’s wrist spin taking 4 for 40 in 13 overs, shredding the middle order.

Ashwin grabbed 2 for 22 in 8.4 overs, Shami took 2 for 17 in 6.5 overs, and Pandya had 1 for 28 in 6 overs. Umesh Yadav bowled 3.1 overs for 23 runs, no wickets. The pitch’s turn and bounce played into India’s hands, with Sri Lanka reaching 50 in the 26th over but folding fast. Poor shots and that run-out made it worse, and by tea on day two, they were following on. India’s quick wickets put Sri Lanka in a hole, with the follow-on sealing their fate early. The innings showed how outmatched they were against India’s attack.

Sri Lanka’s Second Innings

Sri Lanka’s second innings, after the follow-on, showed more fight but ended at 181 in 74.3 overs, lasting just under five hours at 2.42 an over, giving India the win. Starting at 19 for 1 on day two, they pushed into day three with faint hopes. Upul Tharanga made 7 off 31 balls with a four, bowled by Umesh Yadav in the 11th over. Dimuth Karunaratne scored 16 off 48 balls with three fours, caught by Ajinkya Rahane off Ashwin in the 16th over. Malinda Pushpakumara, in as a nightwatchman, scraped 1 off 32 balls, caught by Saha off Shami in the 21st over.

Kusal Mendis got 12 off 21 balls with two fours, lbw to Shami in the 23rd over. Dinesh Chandimal battled for 36 off 89 balls with four fours, putting on 65 with Angelo Mathews for the fifth wicket. Mathews made 35 off 96 balls, two fours and a six, before Ashwin trapped him lbw in the 54th over after a review. Niroshan Dickwella led with 41 off 52 balls, five fours at a 78.84 strike rate, caught by Rahane off Umesh Yadav in the 70th over. Dilruwan Perera scored 8 off 23 balls with a four, caught by Pandya off Ashwin in the 60th over. Lakhan Sandakan made 8 off 24 balls with two fours, caught by Saha off Shami in the 69th over.

Vishwa Fernando was not out on 4 off 17 balls, while Lahiru Kumara hit 10 off 15 balls with two fours, bowled by Ashwin in the 75th over. Extras were just 3, 2 byes, 1 no-ball. Ashwin’s off-spin took 4 for 68 in 28.3 overs, Shami grabbed 3 for 32 in 15 overs, Umesh Yadav took 2 for 21 in 13 overs, and Kuldeep Yadav got 1 for 56 in 17 overs. Pandya bowled one over for 2 runs. Sri Lanka hit 50 in the 26th over, 100 in the 49th, and 150 in the 64th, but wickets fell too often. India’s bowlers used the pitch’s spin to end it early on day three, clinching the whitewash.