1st Test: India thrash Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs, take 1-0 series lead

India`s players celebrate after winning the third day of the first Test cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on March 6, 2022. Picture Courtesy: AFP

India on Sunday took a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series after defeating Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs at the IS Bindra PCA Stadium.

After being bundled out for 174 in the first innings, Sri Lanka were made to follow on and were all out for 178 in 60 overs to complete a meek surrender by the visitors. Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin took 4/46 and 4/47 respectively in the second innings of a day in which 16 wickets fell.

On the third ball of the session after tea, Ashwin drew Charith Asalanka forward and extracted the outside edge which hit Rishabh Pant's thigh and flew to Virat Kohli for a catch at first slip. Asalanka's dismissal meant Ashwin went past legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev to have 435 Test wickets and become the second-highest wicket-taker for India after Anil Kumble's 619 scalps.

The next over saw Jadeja trap Angelo Mathews lbw with a big turning-in delivery which opened his front leg and rapped him low on the back pad. Mathews reviewed but couldn't overturn the decision. Jadeja's next victim in the same over was Suranga Lakmal, who repeated his first-innings dismissal of giving a catch to mid-off, this time to mid-on.

Niroshan Dickwella was in attacking mode, hitting Ashwin, Jayant Yadav and Mohammed Shami for boundaries to be the lone ranger for Sri Lanka with the bat. Jadeja grabbed his ninth wicket as Lasith Embuldeniya tried to defend off backfoot and the thick outer edge was pouched by a very sharp Pant.

Dickwella continued to hit gorgeous shots, whipping through mid-wicket, tucking through square leg and driving down the ground. The wicketkeeper-batter reached his half-century. But in the next over, Ashwin ended the match with Lahiru Kumara holing out to mid-off.

Earlier, after a career-best 175 with the bat, all-rounder Jadeja bagged a five-wicket haul as India dismissed Sri Lanka for 174 in 65 overs in the first innings. After being made to follow-on, Sri Lanka were 10/1 at lunch.

Though Sri Lanka added 110 runs in the second session, they lost three batters with Mathews still looking solid at the crease after playing 72 balls. But in the final session, Sri Lanka lost the plot from the word go and the result of the game was a foregone conclusion.

Brief scores: India 574/8 dec in 129.2 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 175 not out; Lasith Embuldeniya 2/188) beat Sri Lanka 174 all out in 65 overs (Pathum Nissanka 61 not out, Charith Asalanka 29; Ravindra Jadeja 5/41, Jasprit Bumrah 2/36) and 178 all out in 60 overs (f/o) (Niroshan Dickwella 51 not out, Dhananjaya de Silva 30; Ravindra Jadeja 4/46, Ravichandran Ashwin 4/47) by an innings and 222 runs.

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