Indian team celebrating a wicket in the match against Sri Lanka
The Indian batters set the tone early with a big first-innings score, putting pressure on Sri Lanka right away, and after that, the Indian bowlers stepped up and destroyed the Sri Lankan batting line-up in both innings. It was a near-perfect performance from the Indian team, showing their class in all departments. Here’s a simple look at how the entire match unfolded.
As the sun peeked over Galle International Stadium that morning, India and Sri Lanka got ready to battle it out in the first Test of the 2017 series. India won the toss and chose to bat, and boy, did they put on a show, walking away with a massive 304-run win. Their batsmen were unstoppable, and their bowlers were on point, while Sri Lanka just couldn’t find their rhythm.
India hit the ground running, racking up a whopping 600 runs in 133.1 overs at a peppy 4.50 runs per over. Shikhar Dhawan was the man of the moment, smashing a brilliant 190 off 168 balls with 31 fours, tearing along at a strike rate of 113.09. He was all over the place, hitting shots left and right, making Sri Lanka’s bowlers sweat. Dhawan teamed up with Cheteshwar Pujara for a massive 253-run partnership for the second wicket. Pujara played it cool, scoring 153 off 265 balls with 13 fours, keeping things steady at a strike rate of 57.73.
He held the fort even after Dhawan got caught by Angelo Mathews off Nuwan Pradeep. Ajinkya Rahane kept the good times rolling with a neat 57 off 130 balls, stroking three fours. Ravichandran Ashwin chipped in with a quick 47 off 60 balls, smashing seven fours, and debutant Hardik Pandya brought some fireworks, making 50 off 49 balls with five fours and three sixes. Mohammed Shami wasn’t shy either, whacking 30 off 30 balls with three sixes to push India past 600.
Wriddhiman Saha scored 16, Ravindra Jadeja made 15, and Umesh Yadav was not out on 11. Extras, like 16 from byes, leg byes, and wides, gave them a little boost. Sri Lanka’s bowlers had a tough go, but Nuwan Pradeep stood out, snagging 6 wickets for 132 runs in 31 overs, though he went for 4.25 an over. Lahiru Kumara took 3 wickets for 131, but Rangana Herath’s 1 for 159 and Dilruwan Perera’s 0 for 130 showed how India dominated. Danushka Gunathilaka’s seven overs cost 41 runs with no wickets. India wrapped up their innings on day two, leaving Sri Lanka with a huge hill to climb.
Sri Lanka’s turn at the crease was a bit of a struggle, as they managed 291 runs in 78.3 overs at 3.70 runs per over. It started rocky when Dimuth Karunaratne got trapped lbw by Umesh Yadav for just 2 off 9 balls. Upul Tharanga tried to turn things around, stroking a lovely 64 off 93 balls with 10 fours, but a sharp run-out by Wriddhiman Saha and Abhinav Mukund cut him short. Danushka Gunathilaka scored 16 off 37 balls, and Kusal Mendis got a duck, both sent packing by Mohammed Shami, leaving Sri Lanka at 68/3.
Angelo Mathews stepped up, playing a beauty of 83 off 130 balls with 11 fours and a six, but he didn’t get much backup. Niroshan Dickwella made just 8 off 15 balls, caught off Ravichandran Ashwin. Dilruwan Perera was the real fighter, staying not out on 92 off 132 balls with 10 fours and four sixes, giving Sri Lanka some pride. Rangana Herath scored 9 off 13 balls, Nuwan Pradeep made 10, and Lahiru Kumara got 2 before Ravindra Jadeja bowled him. Asela Gunaratne, being out injured, was a big loss.
India’s bowlers were on song, with Jadeja leading the way, taking 3 wickets for 67 runs in 22.3 overs. Shami grabbed 2 wickets for 45 runs, Yadav took 1 for 78, and Ashwin got 1 for 84. Hardik Pandya picked up his first Test wicket, getting Pradeep. Sri Lanka’s innings ended on day two, trailing by 309 runs. Their batting looked a bit shaky against India’s tight bowling, and that big gap left them in a real spot for the next innings.
India came back with a plan in their second innings, declaring at 240/3 in 53 overs, scoring at a brisk 4.52 runs per over. Shikhar Dhawan kicked off with a bang, smashing 14 off 14 balls with three fours before Dilruwan Perera had him caught by Danushka Gunathilaka. Abhinav Mukund played a clever knock, making 81 off 116 balls with eight fours at a strike rate of 69.82, holding things together. Cheteshwar Pujara chipped in with 15 off 35 balls, hitting two fours, before Lahiru Kumara got him caught by Kusal Mendis.
Captain Virat Kohli took charge, staying not out on 103 off 136 balls with five fours and a six, batting at a smooth 75.73 strike rate. Ajinkya Rahane jumped in and smashed an unbeaten 23 off 18 balls with two fours, keeping the runs coming. Extras added 4 runs, with a leg bye, a no-ball, and two wides. India called it a day on day three, setting Sri Lanka a towering 550-run target. Sri Lanka’s bowlers found it hard to break through.
Dilruwan Perera took 1 wicket for 67 runs in 15 overs, Kumara grabbed 1 for 59, and Gunathilaka chipped in with 1 for 16 in five overs. Nuwan Pradeep’s 12 overs went for 63 runs with no wickets, and Rangana Herath’s nine overs cost 34 runs without a scalp. India’s mix of steady and aggressive batting, plus the early declaration, showed they were confident their bowlers could seal the deal, especially with the pitch getting a bit tricky.
Chasing a mammoth 550, Sri Lanka fell to 245 in 76.5 overs at 3.18 runs per over. Dimuth Karunaratne put up a fight, scoring 97 off 208 balls with nine fours, but Ravichandran Ashwin bowled him just short of a century. Upul Tharanga hit 10 off 10 balls, and Danushka Gunathilaka made 2 before Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav got them early, leaving Sri Lanka at 29/2, and Kusal Mendis battled with 36 off 71 balls, stroking three fours, but Ravindra Jadeja had him caught by Wriddhiman Saha.
Angelo Mathews managed just 2, caught by Hardik Pandya off Jadeja. Niroshan Dickwella showed some guts, making 67 off 94 balls with 10 fours at a strike rate of 71.27. He and Karunaratne put on 101 runs for the fifth wicket, raising a bit of hope. But Dickwella fell to Ashwin, caught by Saha, and things unraveled. Dilruwan Perera hung on, not out on 21 off 50 balls with three fours, but Nuwan Pradeep and Lahiru Kumara both got 0, dismissed by Ashwin and Jadeja.
Rangana Herath and Asela Gunaratne were out injured, leaving Sri Lanka short-handed. India’s bowlers were brilliant, with Jadeja and Ashwin each taking 3 wickets for 71 and 65 runs. Shami grabbed 1 for 43, Yadav took 1 for 42, and Pandya bowled seven tight overs for 21 runs. The innings ended on day four, with India’s bowlers proving too strong for Sri Lanka’s shaky batting.