India defeated Sri Lanka by 238 runs in the second Test match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to clinch the series 2-0. Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, however, fought a lone battle for the visitors as he hit a century after tea. Axar Patel struck twice after tea to dismiss Niroshan Dickwella and Charith Asalanka, respectively and then Bumrah and Ashwin took the remaining wickets to complete the victory for India.
In the first session, Ravichandran Ashwin got the better of Kusal Mendis and Dhanajaya de Silva, respectively, while Ravindra Jadeja knocked over Angelo Mathews for 1. Earlier, India took a sizable lead after bowling Sri Lanka out for 109 in their first innings. The hosts had scored 252 in their first innings riding on the back of Shreyas Iyer's 92-run knock.
Earlier Bumrah claimed his maiden fifer in the first innings as India bundled out Sri Lanka for just 109. Half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant combined with inspired bowling on Sunday helped India eye a big win in the pink ball Test against Lanka. The tourists were 28 for one at stumps while chasing a daunting 447 for victory in Bangalore. Kusal Mendis on 16 and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne on 10 were batting at close of play.
India declared their second innings on 303-9 in the final session after Iyer made 67 and Pant smashed a 28-ball 50 - a Test record for an Indian batsman. Bumrah backed the gameplan of the left-handed Pant who is often criticised for throwing away his wicket after a start.
“Every individual has a different gameplan, so he has backed his strengths,” Bumrah, the team’s vice-captain, said of the swashbuckling batsman. “Not every player in the team will play with the same tempo, we understand that. He is still getting more and more experience and learning about this game.”
Iyer, who hit 92 in India’s first innings total of 252, raised his third Test 50 in his fourth match with a cracking boundary. He put on key partnerships including a 45-run stand with Pant and 63 with Ravindra Jadeja, who made 22, before falling lbw to Lasith Embuldeniya. Mohammed Shami hit an unbeaten 16 before skipper Rohit Sharma called him back to the pavilion after the fall of Axar Patel.
