I’m not a big fan of imposing follow-on: Virat Kohli

The moment Team India posted 622 runs on the board they were guaranteed a win. Not just because Sri Lankan batsmen are incapable of overhauling such a total against the kind of attack the Indians possess but that had a lot to do with the fact that the SSC wicket was a lot different from Galle. The pitch aided an even contest in the first Test even on Day 4 but it had started to spin as early as Day 2 at Colombo. Indian captain Virat Kohli who isn’t a fan of follow-on imposed it and the visitors won by an innings and 53 runs.

Cheteshwar Pujara, the ever consistent Indian No.3 scored his second hundred in the series, Ajinkya Rahane who was probably the only one to miss out at Galle chipped in with a crucial hundred and they pepped the team up for a massive total. Sri Lanka had a horrible time in the first innings, as all they managed was to last 49.4 overs and were wrapped up for 183.

With 439 runs in the bank, it made no sense for India to bat again and Virat was of the same opinion. Though it meant hard work for the bowlers but they were up for it. Sri Lanka wasn’t going to let this win come easy. Right from the openers to the lower order, they were all up for a resilient show. Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne stood out with their hundreds but in the end, it wasn’t just enough to sweep away the trail.

While Ravichandran Ashwin picked a five-wicket haul in the first innings, it was his spin-twin Ravindra Jadeja who replicated the feat in the last innings to wrap the Lankans up on a wearing wicket.

“The way the wicket behaved when Sri Lanka batted first prompted that decision to enforce the follow-on. I’m not a big fan of it, especially when the wicket is breaking down like that. Even 150 in the fourth innings can be tough. You don’t want to leave chances but here, we felt we had enough,” said the Indian skipper in the post-match presentation.

Expected Sri Lanka to fight back

The win in the second Test has given the team a 2-0 lead as well as the series win. “We are playing Tests at international level and we expect teams to play like (Sri Lanka did). Today, we said, even if we don’t get wickets, we will enjoy the tough times. It improves you as a side. We are happy that we went through the difficult place; helps you not get complacent as a side,” Virat added.

He also took the occasion to pat all his players on the back for their performance right from wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha to Hardik Pandya who chipped in with useful contributions. “Saha is definitely the best keeper in this format right now. He’s very agile and can create chances at any stage. Pujara and Rahane are our best Test players, KL played well too, and Jadeja contributed lower down the order. Pandya contributed too. For us, it’s about taking Indian cricket ahead,” he concluded.