Sri Lanka v India Third Test: India wrap up 3-0 series win inside three days

Test scores (Kandy)

India win by an innings and 171 runs

India 1st inns: 487 (S Dhawan 119, Pandya 108, Rahul 85, Kohli 42; Sandakan 5-132, Pushpakumara 3-82)

Sri Lanka 1st inns: 135 (Chandimal 48; K Yadav 4-40)

Sri Lanka 2nd inns: 181 (Dickwella 41, Chandimal 36, Mathews 35; Ashwin 4-68, Shami 3-32)

Day three report

Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami combined to skittle Sri Lanka on the third day of the final Test as India wrapped up a 3-0 whitewash in Kandy.

The hosts started the day following on at 19 for one and mustered only token resistance as they finished all out for 181, defeated by an innings and 171 runs.

Ashwin pocketed four for 68 as he held down an end, with Shami chiming in with three for 32.

Sri Lanka looked set for an even heftier defeat when an early clatter of wickets left them 39 for four, Dimuth Karunaratne becoming Ashwin's first scalp while Malinda Pushpakumara and Kusal Mendis proved unable to keep out Shami.

What followed was a slight upturn in competitiveness as captain Dinesh Chandimal (36) and Angelo Mathews (35) successfully lasted through to lunch.

Chandimal fell first, caught at bat-pad off Kuldeep Yadav, and Mathews gave himself no chance against lbw when sweeping Ashwin off middle stump.

That left the baton for Niroshan Dickwella and, although he carved out a top score of 41, the lower order could not linger and matters came to a hasty conclusion before tea.

Day two report

Hardik Pandya blazed his way to an 86-ball maiden Test hundred to leave 66/1 outsiders Sri Lanka contemplating a 3-0 series whitewash defeat after being made to follow-on against odds-on favourites India in Pallekele.

Batting at number eight, Pandya cut loose after bringing up his half-century and only needed 25 balls to move from fifty to his first first-class ton in only his third Test which included butchering Malinda Pushpakumara for three sixes and two fours in an over.

Pandya was eventually last man out for 108 from only 96 balls, featuring eight fours and seven sixes, to swell India's total to 487, with Sri Lanka collapsing to 135 all out before closing on 19 for one after being asked to bat again on day two of the third and final Test.

Mohammed Shami had both Sri Lanka openers Upul Tharanga and Dimuth Karunaratne caught behind, while Pandya's breakout day continued when he pinned linchpin batsman Angelo Mathews in front.

Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal provided some much-needed resistance with a battling 48 but support at the other end was hardly forthcoming as the hosts lost their last four wickets for 10 runs.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav finished as the pick of the bowlers with four for 40, while Sri Lanka's woes worsened as Tharanga chopped Umesh Yadav onto his stumps shortly before the close.

Still trailing by 333 with three days remaining, they face a battle to avoid a second innings defeat in succession.

Day one report

India's Shikhar Dhawan smashed a century but Sri Lanka's spinners hit back to keep them in the match after the first day of the third Test on Saturday. 

Malinda Pushpakumara took three wickets and Lakshan Sandakan two, leaving odds-on favourites India on 329-6 at the close.

Pushpakamara rattled the Indian top-order with his left-arm spin after a 188-run opening stand between Dhawan, who hit 119 in 123 balls, and Lokesh Rahul (85).

Left-arm wrist spinner Sandakan's wickets included the prized scalp of Indian skipper Virat Kohli for 42.

Dhawan and Rahul took India through the first session against a hapless Sri Lankan bowling attack.

Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal then rotated his spinners in the second session and India lost three top batsmen in just 11 overs.

The 30-year-old Pushpakumara, who made his Test debut in the second Test in Colombo, removed the openers to bring the hosts back into the contest.

Rahul, who scored his seventh consecutive Test fifty, mistimed a drive to mid-on and Dhawan soon followed his partner to the pavilion.

Rahul joined Everton Weekes, Andy Flower, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kumar Sangakkara and Chris Rogers on the list of batsmen who have made seven consecutive 50-plus scores in Tests.

Kohli tried to stem the rot during a 84-ball innings, ended when he edged a Sandakan delivery to slip.

India toiled in the last session - the innings run-rate plummeted from around five in the morning session to 2.76 after tea.

Pace spearhead Vishwa Fernando chipped in with the wicket of Ravichandran Ashwin, who was caught behind after a hard-working 31.

India had elected to bat first as 9/1 shots Sri Lanka as they eye a series sweep after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in Colombo.

Related links

Sky Bet's Sri Lanka v India odds