Sri Lanka vs India, Third Test at Mumbai, Dec 2-6, 2009
Mumbai, Day 5: India on Top of the World (IND-SRL: 2-0|3)
December 6, 2009
Zaheer Khan dismissed Sangakkara, Herath and Kulasekara in quick succession during his morning spell for his 8th 5-wicket haul, to lead India to a sensational victory over Sri Lanka by an innings and 24 runs. India took the 3-match series 2-0 and now leads the ICC Test rankings chart for the first time ever - with 124 points from 29 matches. South Africa 122 (30 matches) and Australia 116 (31) are in the second and third position.
Resuming at Saturday's score of 274-6, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 309. It was India's second straight innings victory over Sri Lanka in the series. Offspinner Harbhajan Singh had Muttiah Muralitharan (14) caught behind to complete the victory.
In India's first innings total of 726/9 declared, six batsmen posted fifty or more for India for the fifth time in Tests - Vijay (87), Sehwag (293), Dravid (74), Tendulkar (53), Laxman (62) and Dhoni (100*). Sehwag was named Man of the Match for his 293. He was also named Man of the Series. It was Sehwag's fourth Man of the Series award, and eighth Man of the Match award.
India's overall Test record after the Bombay Test: Played 433, won 101, lost 136, tied one and drawn 195.
Sri Lanka's overall Test record: Played 192, won 60, lost 69, drawn 63.
India vs Sri Lanka Test record: Played 32, India 13, Sri Lanka 5, drawn 14.
MS Dhoni's captaincy record: Played 10, won 7, drawn 3.
Kumar Sangakkara's captaincy record: Played 8, won 4, lost 2, drawn 2.
India 726/9 declared (Sehwag 293, Dhoni 100*, Dravid 74, Laxman 62, Tendulkar 52) beat Sri Lanka 393 (Dilshan 109, Mathews 99, Harbhajan 4-112) and 309 (Sangakkara 137, Paranavitana 54, Zaheer 5-72) by an innings and 24 runs
Mumbai, Day 4: India on the brink of victory despite Sangakkara's ton
December 5, 2009
Captain
Kumar Sangakkara hit 19 fours and a six, during his twenty-first Test hundred (133 not out), but Sri Lanka closed day four in the final Test on 274/6, still needing 59 to make India bat again.
Sri lanka started the day disastrously, as Dilshan (16) was sent back wrongly in a mere 8.5 overs, given out lbw to Harbhajan (1-70), with the score on 29. Then Paranavitana (54) managed to make a steady partnership with Sangakkara, bringing the score to 119 runs before he was dismissed by Sreesanth (1-36) in his first over after lunch. Zaheer (2-51) then struck twice in a magnificent five-over spell, in which he conceded just three runs. Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha (2-84) picked up the last two wickets that fell on day four.
Sri Lanka 393 and 274/6 (Sangakkara 133*, Paranavitana 54) trail India 726/9 dec by 59 runs
Mumbai, Day 3: Dhoni hits ton; Sehwag misses triple
December 4, 2009
Mahendra Singh Dhoni struck a spectacular hundred after Virender Sehwag fell seven runs short of a record third test triple century as India remained on top on day three of the final Test. Dhoni declared India's innings just before stumps at
726/9 - India's highest Test Innings total - as soon as he completed his third 100 by hitting a six that landed outside the Brabourne Stadium. India's run rate was 4.44 runs per over.
In the morning, all eyes were on Sehwag, who could add just nine runs to his overnight score before offering a return catch to offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan to be dismissed for 293. Sehwag's overnight partner Rahul Dravid (74) soon followed him to the pavilion but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (100), VVS. Laxman (62) and Sachin Tendulkar (53) - who completed his 97th half century - piled on the agony against a weary Sri Lanka attack.
Sri Lanka, who scored 393 in their first innings, were 11-0 in their second innings at stumps, requiring another 322 runs to make India bat again.
Sri Lanka 393 and 11/0 trail India 726/9 declared (Sehwag 293, Dhoni 100*, Vijay 87, Dravid 74, Laxman 62, Tendulkar 53) by 322 runs
Mumbai, Day 2: Sehwag nears fastest triple ton, India lead by 50 runs
December 3, 2009
India made a mammoth 443/1 in the first innings in reply to Sri Lanka's 393, with the help of Sehwag's unbeaten innings of 284 from just 239 deliveries. The Indians completely dominated the first three sessions after bowlers packed up the Sri Lankan tail within 30 minutes early in the day at the Brabourne.
Virender Sehwag looks set for his third 300 - a feat no one has achieved in Test Cricket - after slamming his sixth double hundred. Sehwag's 284 was the
second fastest double ton in Test history (168 balls) - fastest double century is by Herscelle Gibbs - and the
fastest 250 ever (207 deliveries). It was also the game's third highest individual score in one day's play. Sehwag reached his first 100 off 101 deliveries, and his second took just 67 deliveries. He smashed 40 boundaries and seven sixes in his 239-delivery innings.
The only Indian wicket to fall was that of Murali Vijay (87), the partnership broken at 221, just 2 runs shy of what Sehwag and Gambhir added for the first wicket in Kanpur. At stumps Rahul Dravid was on 62 after adding an unbeaten 222 with Sehwag.
India 443/1 (Sehwag 284*, Vijay 87, Dravid 62*) lead Sri Lanka 393 (Dilshan 109, Mathews 99, Paranavitana 53, Harbhajan 4-112) by 50 runs
Mumbai, Day 1: Dilshan's ton gives Sri Lanka solid start
December 2, 2009
Tillakaratne Dilshan hit a century as Sri Lanka scored 366 for eight in the first innings against India at the end of first day's play in the third and the final cricket Test at the historic Brabourne Stadium. The Brabourne Stadium was hosting it's 18th Test match, India's first after the match against England in February 1973 - 36 years ago - a record.
Harbhajan Singh took four wickets to keep India on par after Opener Dilshan slammed 109 and shared in three crucial partnerships to lead Sri Lanka's charge for a series-levelling victory after opting to bat first. Angelo Matthews was 86 not out after Tharanga Paranavitana had made 53 and wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene 43.
Tamil Nadu opener Murali Vijay, who has played one Test, is in place of opener Gautam Gambhir, who skipped the Test to attend the wedding of his sister.
Sri Lanka 366/8 (Dilshan 109, Mathews 86*, Paranavitana 53, Harbhajan 4-107) v India
Sri Lanka vs India, Second Test at Kanpur, Nov 24-28, 2009
Kanpur, Day 4: India complete 100th Test win (IND-SRL: 1-0|3)
November 27, 2009
India clinched their biggest Test victory against Sri Lanka by comprehensively beating them by an innings and 144 runs. In the process, India became the sixth country to post 100 Test victories, joining Australia (332), England (310), West Indies (152), South Africa (120) and Pakistan (103). Resuming day four at 57/4, Sri Lanka were dismissed for 269 before tea to complete the sixth victory for India in nine Tests under Dhoni's captaincy - three were no results.
Thilan Samaraweera remained unbeaten on a defiant 78 off 213 balls after sharing a 73-run partnership with Ajantha Mendis (27) to frustrate the Indians. Paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, making his Test comeback, was named man of the match for his 5-75 in the first innings. The crushing win puts India 1-0 ahead in the series, with the third and final Test taking place in Mumbai next week.
India 642 (Gambhir 167, Dravid 144, Sehwag 131, Herath 5-121) beat Sri Lanka 229 (Sreesanth 5-75) and 269 (Samaraweera 78*) by an innings and 144 runs
Kanpur, Day 3: India on top as Sreesanth rocks Sri Lanka
November 26, 2009
Kerala pacer
Shanthakumaran Sreesanth made a triumphant return to international cricket, with a devastating display of seam bowling to put India on the threshhold of a comprehensive victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Kanpur. Playing his first Test since April last year,
Sreesanth claimed five first innings wickets as Sri Lanka were skittled for a meagre 229 in response to India's first innings total of 642. Sreesanth (5-75) joined Kapil Dev (5-110 at Chennai in 1982-83) as the second Indian to bag five wickets in an innings against Sri Lanka in India. Spinners Pragyan Ojha (2-37) and Harbhajan Singh (2-54) wiped off the tail to wrap up the Sri Lankan innings shortly after tea.
Forced to follow on, Sri Lanka were 57 for four at stumps after Sreesanth provided the early breakthrough by removing attacking opener Tillakaratne Dilshan for 11. Part-time spinner Virender Sehwag trapped the other opener Tharanga Paranavitana leg before wicket before Mahela Jayawardene and Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara lost their wickets cheaply.
Sri Lanka 229 (Mahela 47, Sangakkara 44, Sreesanth 5-75) and 57/4 trail India 642 (Gambhir 167, Dravid 144, Sehwag 137, Herath 5-121) by 356 runs
Kanpur, Day 2: Sri Lanka chase mammoth total after Herath snares 5 wickets
November 25, 2009
Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath snared five wickets as he destroyed India's tail, after Rahul Dravid's 28th century took India to an unbeatable position. From 613/4, when Dravid was batting, India collapsed to 642 all out, losing their last six wickets for just 29 runs. However, it was India's seventh highest total in all Tests and second highest against Sri Lanka. Yuvraj Singh (67) and VVS Laxman (63) hit fluent fifties.
Rahul Dravid, who reached his second consecutive ton, became
Test cricket's fourth highest scorer, surpassing former Australian captain Allan Border. His innings was cut short at 144 runs after he had added 59 runs to his overnight score by a freak run out. Dravid now has 11,182 runs in 136 Tests at an average of 53.50.
Sri Lankans lost the wicket of Dilshan, who was out for a first-ball duck, and put on 66 before played ended on day two.
Sri Lanka 66/1 (Sangakkara 30*, Paranavitana 30*) trail India 642 (Gambhir 167, Dravid 144, Sehwag 137, Herath 5-121) by 576 runs
Kanpur, Day 1: India's highest score in a day in test cricket as Sehwag and Gambhir hit centuries
November 24, 2009
Openers
Gautam Gambhir (167) and
Virender Sehwag (131) added 233 runs in 41.2 overs against Sri Lanka - their highest ever opening partnership - scoring close to six runs per over to help India reach its
highest score (417/2) in a day in test cricket. India’s previous highest was
386/1 against South Africa in Chennai in March 2008.
Sehwag's 131 included 122-ball knock included 18 fours and two sixes. He was dropped in the first over of Chanaka Welegedara. Gambhir scored his eighth Test century, seventh in nine Tests, four of them coming on the trot in successive Tests. He thus became the the third Indian batsman after Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid to score
four consecutive Test centuries. His 215-ball knock included 15 fours.
At stumps, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar were unbeaten on 85 and 20 runs respectively.
India 417 for 2 (Gambhir 167, Sehwag, 131, Dravid 85*) v Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka vs India, First Test at Ahmedabad, Nov 16-20, 2009
Ahmedabad, Day 5: India salvage draw with Gambhir, Tendulkar centuries (IND-SRL: 0-0|3)
November 20, 2009
An unbeaten century by Indian master
Sachin Tendulkar, who also became the first cricketer to cross 30000 runs, and
Gautam Gambhir's gritty 114 - his seventh overall and third century in as many matches - helped India draw against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Ahmedabad. The dead pitch, with only 21 wickets and seven centuries, didn't do a bit to help Sri Lanka's dream of a first Test win in India.
The captains agreed to call off the match with six overs still to go just after
Sachin completed his 43rd Test Century. His 88th international 100!
India 426 (Dravid 177, Dhoni 110, Welegedara 4-87) and 341/4 (Gambhir 114, Tendulkar 100*, Laxman 51) drew with Sri Lanka 760/7 declared (Jayawardene 275, Prasanna 154*, Dilshan 112)
Ahmedabad, Day 4: India fighting to save first Test against Sri Lanka
November 19, 2009
Openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag hit half-centuries as India began a spirited fightback after Sri Lanka declared their first innings 40 minutes after lunch at a massive
760/7, the highest Test total in India. A
world record sixth-wicket partnership of 351 runs between Mahela Jayawardene (275) and Prasanna Jayawardene (154 not out) helped Sri Lanka take a first innings lead of 334. Their partnership broke the 72-year-old world record of 346 runs held by Australians Donald Bradman and Jack Fingleton, set against England in 1937.
In the second innings, Gambhir and Virender Sehwag put 81 on board for India for the first wicket from only 17 overs. However, at stumps they were 190/2, losing Sehwag for 51 and Rahul Dravid for 38. Nightwatchman Amit Mishra (12 not out) who survived the final five overs with opener Gautam Gambhir (74) will resume batting on the last day.
India 426 and 190/2 (Gambhir 74*, Sehwag 51, Dravid 38) trail Sri Lanka 760/7 dec (Jayawardene 275, Prasanna 154*, Dilshan 112) by 144 runs
Ahmedabad, Day 3: Mahela Jayawardene double century takes Sri Lanka to 591/5
November 18, 2009
Mahela Jayawardene's magnificent double century, his sixth, helped Sri Lanka take charge of the first Test at the Sardar Patel Stadium on Wednesday. His unbroken 6th wicket partnership of 216 with his unrelated namesake Prasanna Jayawardene enusred Sri Lanka a 165-run lead over India at stumps on day three. They are now comfortably placed at 591/5 in 160 overs, in reply to India's first innings total of 426. This is their highest total on Indian soil, surpassing their previous best score of 420, made in 1986.
Mahela Jayawardene's unbeaten 204 was studded with 17 fours and 1 six. He added 138 runs for the fourth wicket with Thilan Samaraweera, who scored 70. In a 1997-98 Test match at the R. Premadasa statdium, in which Mahela debuted,
Sri Lanka plundered a record breaking score of 952/6, the highest total in Test matches, after India had amassed 537 in the first innings. That test ended in a draw.
Sri Lanka 591/5 (Jayawardene 204*, Dilshan 112, Prasanna 84*, Samaraweera 70) lead India 426 by 165 runs
Ahmedabad, Day 2: Dilshan century takes Sri Lanka to 275/3
November 17, 2009
Tillekaratne Dilshan's tenth Test century - his first in India - powered Sri Lanka to 275 for three at the close of second day's play at Motera. Dilshan also became the first batsman to register five hundreds during this calendar year. He made 112.
India's bite-less bowling couldn't do much damage as Sri Lanka ended the day at 275/3 with Thilan Samaraweera batting on 45 and Mahela Jayawardene on 36. Captain Kumar Sangakkara scored 31 and young opener Tharanga Paranavitana 35.
In the morning, India were dismissed for 426, as Sri Lankan bowlers rallied with four wickets after India had resumed at 385 for six. Chanaka Welegedara made the early important breakthrough, as he had on Monday, by removing Rahul Dravid for his overnight score of 177. Welegedera finished with 4-87 while Muralitharan returned 3-97.
Sri Lanka 275/3 (Dilshan 112, Samaraweera 45*, Zaheer 2-45) trail India 426 (Dravid 177, Welegedara 4-87) by 151 runs
Ahmedabad, Day 1: Dravid leads recovery after Welegedara's damage
November 16, 2009
Rahul Dravid, whom the selectors won't allow to play in the short formats of the game because of his "age factor", smashed an unbeaten 177 (SR 70.51), his 27th Test century, on a day when Chanaka Welegedera gave India a shock start, reducing them to 32-4 inside the first hour. "The wall" hit 26 boundaries and a six in an unusually aggressive innings that saw him complete 11,000 Test runs with his final single of the day as India finished on a healthy 385/6.
Dravid also surpassed Steve Waugh's tally of 10,927 runs, when he reached 105, to become the
fifth highest Test scorer behind Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting and Allan Border.
Sri Lanka went into the game leaving out three of their best - Nuwan Kulasekara, Thilan Thushara and Ajantha Mendis - but Chanaka Welegedera took out Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar in his first four overs in a destructive new-ball spell that left India reeling. Dammika Prasad then claimed Laxman as India slid to 32-4 by the eighth over before Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh led India to 105-4 by lunch.
Dravid and Yuvraj continued their fight after lunch, with a partnership of 125 runs. Yuvraj scored 68 from 93 balls, with 13 boundaries. Dravid then had a very productive partnership with Mahendra Singh Dhoni - amassing 224 in just 50.5 overs. Dhoni's 110 took 159 balls, with 10 boundaries and one six. Dravid's Fifty came in 79 balls, hundred in 158, and 150 in 216. Tomorrow, he will be gunning for his sixth double hundred.
Dravid (Born January 11, 1973)
| Format | Matches | Innings | NO | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s | SR |
| Test | 134 | 233 | 27 | 10823 | 270 | 52.53 | 26 | 57 | 41.73 |
| ODI | 339 | 313 | 40 | 10765 | 153 | 39.43 | 12 | 82 | 71.17 |
| T20I | 33 | 31 | 2 | 790 | 75* | 27.24 | 0 | 4 | 119.69 |
India 385/6 (Dravid 177*, Dhoni 110, Yuvraj 68, Welegedara 3-75) v Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka tour of India Nov-Dec 2009 news
Sreesanth, Khan back in India test team
November 10, 2009
Pace spearhead
Zaheer Khan expectedly returned to the squad after recovering from a shoulder injury, while temperamental fast bowler
Sreesanth, who was only last month given a final warning by the BCCI to mend his ways, has been the surprise inclusion. The 26-year-old Sreesanth will return to the Test fold after more than a year having played his last Test in April 2008 against
South Africa in Kanpur. Pacers Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel were ignored.
The experienced test batting duo of
Rahul Dravid and
VVS Laxman were included after being ignored for the one-day series against Australia. Batsmen Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and pacer Praveen Kumar, who are playing in the
ongoing series against Australia, were not considered for selection for the three-match Test series.
The Indian team play the
first Test in Ahmedabad followed by two more Tests in
Kanpur (November 24 to 28) and
Mumbai (December 2 to 6).
Indian team:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, V V S Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, M Vijay, Pragyan Ojha, S Sreesanth and S Badrinath.
Sri Lanka determined to beat India on Indian soil after 44 years
November 2, 2009
Sri Lanka will be looking for the elusive test match and series win when they tour India for a Three Test, five ODI and Two T20 match series in November. The team arrive in India on November 8th for the 55-day tour. They will play a three-day warm up game in Mumbai, prior to the First Test which begins in Ahmedabad on the 16th of November.
In 1965 January, Ceylon, led by Michael Tissera, beat a fully-fledged Indian side led by the Nawab of Pataudi Mansur Ali Khan by 4 wickets in Ahmedabad in an unofficial Test. Since then, Sri Lanka has never beaten India in an official Test match in India.
Sri Lanka Cricket Team: Kumar Sangakkara (Captain), Muttiah Muralitharan (Vice captain), Mahela Jayawardena, T.M. Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavithana, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Thilina Kandamby, Prasanna Jayawardena, Kaushal Silva, Chanaka Welegedera, Thilan Thushara Mirando, Nuwan Kulasekera, Dhammika Prasad, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis.
Stand byes: Dilhara Fernando, Chamara Kapugedera, Malinda Warnapura, Suraj Randev.
