India thumped Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs in the first Test match of the series in Mohali after bundling out them for 178 in the second innings. The home side had enforced a follow-on after bowling out the Lankan Lions for 174 in the first innings in reply to India’s 574/8 (D).
The spinners R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja ripped through the Sri Lankan batting order as they shared a total of eight wickets out of the 10.
The visitors had a struggling start in the second innings as they lost early wickets and were reduced to 45/3 before Angelo Mathews and Dhanajaya de Silva tried to steady the ship and the two chipped in with a partnership of 49 runs. But De Silva’s dismissal for 30 was followed by a fall of wickets at regular intervals and the touring side was reduced to 153/8 before getting all out.
Niroshan Dickwella tried to hold the fort at one end as he remained unbeaten at 51 but his efforts went in vain. While Ashwin and Jadeja bagged four-for each, Mohammed Shami scalped a couple of wickets in the second innings.
During the course of the match, Ashwin also surpassed Kapil Dev to become the second highest wicket-taker for India in Tests while Jadeja returned with a total of 9 wickets in the match along with 175*.
The action will now move to Bengaluru for the second match scheduled to begin on March 12, 2022.
“Ravindra Jadeja has really come a long way in the last four-five years. I think his position is a little low for the way he is batting at the moment. His batting has gone one notch higher. He knows what he is doing and it reflects in the way he is batting,” Ashwin said after the match.