India registered a 304-run victory over Sri Lanka on day four in Galle to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Needing 550 runs to win, Sri Lanka were all out for 245 with two batsmen absent due to injury. This is India's biggest away win, in terms of run-margin, while it's Lanka's biggest defeat at home.
With Dimuth Karunaratne (97) and Niroshan Dickwella (67), Sri Lanka would have hoped for taking the Test into the final day after being 192/4 at tea-break. But Ravichandran Ashwin (3/65) ended his wait for a first wicket in the second innings by inducing an edge from Dickwella and then cleaned up a well-settled Karunaratne, who was nearing a deserved century, to bring India on the brink of wrapping the Test on the penultimate day. He added one more scalp to his name before Ravindra Jadeja (3/71) removed the last man Lahiru Kumara to end Sri Lanka's ordeal.
Each team dominated one-half of the first two sessions. India picked two wickets in the first half of both the sessions while Sri Lanka resisting in the latter. Opener Karunaratne kept defying India, first with Kusal Mendis (36) and then with Dickwella. India tasted success with the new ball with the pace duo of Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav removing Upul Tharanga and Danusha Gunathilaka respectively.
Jadeja took both the wickets that fell post lunch. He first removed Mendis and then Angelo Mathews (2), who played a loose shot to offer a leading edge. Lanka lost two wickets quickly and then carried through the sessions safely, without further damage. Ashwin tried hard and kept planting seeds of doubts in the batsmen's mind but had to wait long for a wicket despite bowling unchanged for 15 overs. During that phase, Ashwin beat Mendis once, induced an edge that fell safe but it was eventually Jadeja who tasted success.
Sri Lanka were left to chase a mammoth total after India captain Virat Kohli (103*) hit his 17th Test century - 10th as captain - with the visitors declaring at 240/3 and thus accumulating a huge 549-run lead.
In the first innings, India made a resounding start to their tour with Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara hitting centuries to help India to post 399 for 3 on day one of the first test. Dhawan fell short of 10 runs for his double century while Pujara remained unbeaten on 144 on day one. On the second day India suffered a mini jolt as Pujara, then Ajinkya Rahane were out quickly. Hardik Pandya provided a final flourish by scoring 50 off 49 balls. India ended their innings on 600. Lanka were all out for 291 to give India a lead of 309 runs. In the second innings, India made 240/3 with captain Kohli scoring a century. In reply, Lanka folded up by scoring 245 runs.
Brief Scores: India 600 and 240/3d beat Sri Lanka 291 and 245 by 304 runs
