India smash Sri Lanka as Ashwin claims 300

Kolkata : Ravichandran Ashwin dismantled Sri Lanka’s lower middle-order and became the fastest bowler to 300 Test wickets as the visitors folded meekly to give India their joint-biggest Test victory - by an innings and 239 runs.

The idea of saving the Test was always going to be a far-fetched expectation for Sri Lanka, but their batsmen showed no intention or drive to even make an effort towards the unthinkable, as they lost as many as seven wickets in the extended opening session. Dinesh Chandimal’s dodgy half-century and a brief stand with No. 10 batsman Suranga Lakmal ensured his side wouldn’t have the ignominy of getting bowled out before Lunch.

Shortly after the break, however, Umesh and Ashwin completed the formalities, with the latter pipping Dennis Lillee’s record by taking No.300 in just his 54th Test.

It was a morning session when a pro-active Virat Kohli gave short bursts of spells to each of his four bowlers. Ashwin began the proceedings alongside Ishant Sharma, but was still not getting a lot of turn from the surface. Most balls went with the angle as the two left-handers - Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne - managed to master the task of getting behind the line of the ball pretty well. 

Ashwin bowled just three overs in his first spell on Day 4, and Ravindra Jadeja replaced him with instant success. Off the second ball he bowled - flighted on the middle-stump - Karunaratne flicked it straight towards Murali Vijay at forward short leg. The fielder had very little reaction time but managed to grasp the ball hit at him to earn India their first wicket of the morning.

Ishant’s first spell of the day - characterised by superb length and a slight hint of reverse swing - lasted for five overs. He didn’t get a wicket but troubled every batsmen who came up against him. Even Wriddhiman Saha had to be extra-attentive against the wobbling ball that beat the batsman regularly. 

Ishant’s replacement Umesh Yadav also brought an immediate wicket. But that breakthrough was more down to Thirimanne’s poor decision-making in the middle than Umesh’s brilliance. Thirimanne stretched out to a nothing ball bowled full and wide outside off-stump and sliced it straight to Jadeja at backward point, who didn’t have to move an inch to take the catch.

For the adventurous Dickwealla, Kohli smartly brought back Ishant. The fast bowler’s hardwork through his two short bursts finally paid dividends, when he bowled a length ball from around the stumps and got it to shape slightly away from the wicketkeeper-batsman. It was bowled in that perfect channel where Dickwella didn’t have the choice of not playing at it, and ended up outside edging it. Virat Kohli at second slip caught it on second attempt after a juggle.