India outplayed Sri Lanka to clinch a rare overseas series win after just two Tests by an innings and 53 runs, to finish off the third Test (August 12). Virat Kohli now has 18 wins under his belt- only three less than captain Sourav Ganguly (21).
It's difficult to ignore what India have achieved under Kohli in past couple of years. Clearly, they've been the most dominant Test side in the world, not having lost a series since their 2-0 defeat to Australia in 2014-15. On Sunday, he led India to their eighth consecutive series win. The win though, didn't come on a platter. After they dominated the Lankans for two days and a session in this game, India had to sweat once the hosts fought back through hundreds by Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne.
After enforcing the follow on, the visitors were frustrated on Day 3 and in the early minutes of Day 4 when KL Rahul dropped a sitter at forward short leg to let off Karunaratne, who was batting on 96. Karunaratne completed his sixth Test hundred, and his fourth in the second innings, when he on drove Mohammad Shami for a four.
At the other end, tail-ender Malinda Pushpakumara, who came in as night watchman on Day three, too seemed to be putting a price on his wicket, and sweeping as well as any of his colleagues, before he lost his leg stump while trying to pull off a `switch hit' against R Ashwin.
Much to India's relief, Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal didn't last long, as Ajinkya Rahane pulled off a superb catch at first slip off Ravindra Jadeja. After he added 59 for the fifth wicket with Angelo Mathews, Karunaratne was done in by a typical Jadeja delivery which took off viciously after pitching, and brushed the batsman's glove before Rahane pocketed the catch.
Having dislodged Karunaratne, India weren't going to take long to wind up the proceedings, as the Lankans finished at 386 with Jadeja picking up a five-wicket haul and the man of the match award.
