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Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin (C) celebrates with captain Virat Kohli (L) after India won the second Test cricket match against Sri Lanka at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on November 27, 2017 - AFP
AFP: Spin wizard Ravichandran Ashwin played down comparisons with Dennis Lillee after his record-breaking feat Monday helped India crush Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs in the second Test.
Ashwin became the fastest bowler to reach 300 Test wickets, taking 54 matches to reach the mark -- two fewer than Aussie pace legend Lillee who terrorised batsmen in the 1970s and early 1980s.
The off-spinner was all humility when asked to comment on the enviable record, saying any comparison with the greats would be unfair.
“We are a bit more blessed than the other greats. We have technology to help. We have help with our fitness. So we shouldn’t compare,” he said after the top-ranked hosts wrapped up the win inside four days to stamp their class.
“I really hope I can go on to double these 300 wickets. I’ve only played 50-odd Tests,” said the 31-year-old, who finished with a match haul of 8-130.
“It’s not easy bowling spin, it looks like you’re just ambling up. But there’s a lot behind it.
“We have bowled a lot of overs, me and Jaddu (fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja) in the last 24 months. I am a lot more experienced now.”
The victory equalled India’s biggest Test win, achieved against Bangladesh in Dhaka 10 years ago.
Sri Lanka, who started the day on 21-1 after conceding a 405-run first innings lead, crashed to 166 all out, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with the first game having ended in a draw.
Skipper Dinesh Chandimal put up some resistance with 61 but the rest of the batsmen fell by the wayside without showing much application.Left-arm spinner Jadeja and fast bowlers Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma took two wickets each to underline India’s all-round dominance.
Jadeja struck early in the morning session when he had opener Dimuth Karunaratne caught at short leg for 18.
The left-handed Karunaratne, who resumed the day on 11, got an inside edge on a tossed-up delivery from Jadeja and Murali Vijay took a sharp close catch.
Karunaratne’s overnight partner Lahiru Thirimanne played a careless shot way outside off stump to hand a simple catch to Jadeja off Yadav for 23.
Kohli on the double
Indian skipper Virat Kohli hit a majestic double century on Sunday before India declared their first innings on 610-6 to take a firm grip on the match.
Kohli made 213 from 267 balls for his fifth double century in 62 Tests and won the man of the match award.
His innings featured big partnerships with Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma which pulverised the opposition.
Pujara made 143, Rohit Sharma 102 not out and opener Vijay 128 in a brutal statement of intent from India which was later emphasised by the bowlers.
“It’s all about creating pressure and that’s what we did... All out four bowlers looked like getting a wicket any time,” Rohit Sharma told reporters.
“For me personally it was very important because it’s been nearly 500 days since I played my last Test match.
“I am glad that I could put some runs on the board for myself and the team,” added Rohit Sharma, who was included in the team in place of paceman Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Sri Lanka squandered the advantage of winning the toss and batting first as they were skittled out for 205 on the opening day.
“It was a good toss to win. Unfortunately we were outplayed from the first day. Our batting let us down again. When you’re playing against India, you’ve got to score 350-plus,” said Chandimal.
“The bowling unit has done a really good job. But if you have no runs on the board, they can’t do anything.”
The third and final Test starts in Delhi on 2 December.
Mumbai (Reuters): Virat Kohli has been rested for India’s three one-day internationals against Sri Lanka next month and Rohit Sharma will lead the hosts in the absence of their regular captain, the Indian cricket board said on Monday.
Kohli leads India in all three formats of the game and the 29-year-old has been in imperious form with the bat.
With India scheduled to travel to South Africa for a full tour immediately after the Sri Lanka series, the selectors decided to rest Kohli for the ODIs, which start on 10 December. India won the second of the three-test series against the island nation by an innings and 239 runs in Nagpur on Monday and will play the final test in Delhi from Saturday.
Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan returns to the squad for the final test after withdrawing from the second match for personal reasons.
India will also host Sri Lanka in three Twenty20 matches before embarking on the tour to South Africa.
India squad for third test:
Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar
India squad for ODI series:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
AFP: Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas warned his players there would be “repercussions” after the country’s worst-ever Test defeat, at the hands of India on Monday.
The South African could barely contain his anger after Sri Lanka lost the second Test by an innings and 239 runs in four days in Nagpur.
“It’s embarrassing, players should be embarrassed in their own performances. Practising in the nets means nothing if you do not go out and put runs on the board,” Pothas said.
“As a player your currency is runs, wickets and catches. You can do all you like but if you are not producing them, obviously there will be repercussions. That’s the world of professional sport.”
Sri Lanka’s previous worst Test defeat was an innings and 229-run loss to South Africa in 2001.
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat against India in Nagpur but were skittled out for 205 on the opening day.
They crashed out for 166 in the second innings as India wrapped up victory in four days.
Pothas, who took over as coach after Graham Ford’s abrupt exit this year, highlighted the Indian squad’s depth in bowling and batting.
“If you are going to be successful at the top of any sport your bench is important and India has a very strong bench,” said Pothas.
“Not only have they got pace but a huge amount of skill. Same with batting and bowling: it’s all about execution,” he added.
Sri Lanka lost all nine
Tests, one-day and T20 games at home to India in a recent series but followed that up by winning two Tests against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. “Personally as a coach I find it hugely exciting, I’ve learnt a lot in the last series and in the short time we have been here, and continue to learn more,” Pothas said of the current tour of India.
“Cricket is a game of chess. When you play a team like India, if one team makes a move you better have a counter move, if you don’t you will fall off that bus.
“At the moment we have got a few in our changing room who keep making the same move and losing pieces off the chess board.”
