India vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test – Who Said What

The first Test of the three-match series between India and Sri Lanka has concluded with India winning the game by a massive margin of an innings and 222 runs. The match at Mohali, which also happened to be former Indian captain, Virat Kohli’s 100th Test, ended in being a rather one-sided affair.

Riding on Ravindra Jadeja’s incredible knock of 175*, India declared their first innings at 574-8 having chosen to bat first. The Sri Lankan innings never got going with an eventual collapse in the first session of Day two wrapping up their first innings at 174.

Jadeja was once again India’s star performer, picking up 5-41 and running through the Sri Lankan lower order that resulted in them losing their last six wickets for 13 runs. Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin picked up two wickets apiece. For the visitors, Pathum Nissanka remained not out on 61. India enforced the follow-on with Sri Lanka thus having to bat again.

Ravindra Jadeja stars in each of the three innings for India

Jadeja could not dream of a better Test match in terms of numbers. Having been Sri Lanka’s tormentor in both the first and second innings of the match, the star all-rounder yet again was amongst the wickets in Sri Lanka’s second innings. Jadeja recorded figures of 4-46 in his second outing with the ball ending with match figures of 9- 87. Ashwin also picked up a four-fer in the second innings finishing with 4-47. Sri Lanka was dismissed for 178 in their second innings going 1-0 down in the series. Not to anyone’s surprise, Jadeja was declared the player of the match for his stellar showing with both the bat and ball in hand.

Winning skipper, Rohit Sharma said:

It was a good start. It was a great game of cricket from our perspective. We ticked all the boxes we wanted to. To be honest I didn’t think it is going to be that kind of a Test match which would get over in three days. It was a good batting pitch, there was some turn and some assistance for the seamers as well. Lot of credit to the guys, they bowled very well in tandem, kept the pressure and never made it easier for the Sri Lanka batsmen. We just ensured we applied pressure from both ends. Good signs for India cricket. Lot of performances, landmark Test match for Virat and we wanted to come up out here and win the Test first and foremost. It was heartening to see such big individual performances. No thought process, it was about we make the most of the bowling options we have and we want to have other options as well. We wanted to make sure he (Jayant) gets some overs. The highlight of the game was Jadeja. There was a question whether to declare or not, it was the team’s decision, Jadeja’s decision to put them in and shows how selfless he is. It will be our second pink-ball Test we will be playing at home and not many have played, it will be a challenge. Let’s see what kind of pitch we are playing and then take it from there.”

Losing skipper, Dimuth Karunaratne said:

We never thought it would finish by day three. The batters need to put their hands up and bat longer innings. When you are playing against India you have to capitalize on the starts, it was easy to bat on this track, once you get you have to score big. We backed ourselves (by playing the extra seamer). We thought the wicket would crack open and is going to be up and down. If we had bowled better then we could have restricted them. We were too defensive or too aggressive with the bat, need to get a balance between both by rotating the strike and that’s how you play a big innings. As a batting unit we have to put our hands up and score big. We did well for the first two sessions but could not execute when the ball got old and those are things we need to work on.”

Player of the match, Ravindra Jadeja said

I would say this is my lucky ground. Whenever I come here I get positive vibes. I was looking to build a partnership with Rishabh, give him the strike and enjoy his batting from the other end. To be honest I don’t know about any stat. Feeling very good, happy to score runs and pick wickets for the team. Obviously as a player you boost your confidence with such a performance. I have not done anything differently, just played to my strengths and I give myself time to settle down. I look to keep it very simple out in the middle. I haven’t played with the SG pink ball, so it is going to be different and I will practice for a couple of days, hopefully it comes good.”