Sri Lanka vs India, 3rd Test Match: 5 Talking Points

After reducing the Lankans to 19-1 enforcing the follow on on Day 2, India completed the formalities before tea on the third day of Pallekele Test. India completed the whitewash on the Lankan soil and it was the first occasion where the men in blue managed a whitewash on an away tour. The Lankans could manage to survive only four sessions in two attempts as India won the match by a whopping margin of an innings and 171 runs.

Shikhar Dhawan was adjudged as the man of the series for his couple of centuries and Hardik Pandya received the man of the match award for his all round performance. Let us look at the five talking points in the recently concluded Test match Pallekele.

1. Dominance of Indian openers

The number one Test side in the world presently have three genuine options to deal with, by the names of Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay and KL Rahul. Shikhar Dhawan brought up his second century in the series following his mammoth knock of 190 in the Colombo Test. He scored a breezy inning of 119 off just 123 deliveries at a strike rate of almost 97. The Sunrisers opener scored 17 boundaries in the process.

Kl Rahul also continued his rich form with the bat, as he brought up his second consecutive half century in the series. Rahul scored his seventh consecutive half century in Tests to join the likes Andy Flower, Kumar Sangakkara, Chris Rogers, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Everton Weekes who have the same number of consecutive half centuries in the longest format of the game. The duo also forged a monumental partnership of 188 runs at a run rate of almost 5, taking the game away early from the Lankans.