New Delhi: Team India completed historic 3-0 series triumph over Sri Lanka after winning the third and final Test by an innings and 171 runs. While there were many positives to take from the series, Hardik Pandya's rise as a top-class all-rounder will surely be the most memorable memory from the tour. (IND vs SL, 3rd Test - Match Report)
Before Ravichandran Ashwin and paceman Mohammed Shami shared seven wickets to bowl out Sri Lanka for 181 during their follow-on in an extended second session in Pallekele, Sri Lanka had crumbled for 135 in response to India`s 487 in the first innings.
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The huge score was made possible after Pandya displayed his blitzkrieg with a blistering 96-ball 108-run knock to crack his maiden Test century in just his third game.
The Baroda-born player, after being named the man of the match post conclusion of the Test, took to Twitter and tweeted a photo of him holding the man of the match and tournament trophies.
"Couldn't have asked for a better start in whites! Cheers to the whole team," Pandya tweeted.
Couldn't have asked for a better start in whites! Cheers to the whole team pic.twitter.com/ifPGs4S5Sz
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) August 14, 2017
Reflecting on his performance, Pandya said in the post-match presentation, "I was glad that I got my first hundred here, situation pretty good for me. I was always going to have a target in mind. Test cricket is not easy to get five-fors, takes plenty of hardwork. I'm alright with where the team needs me to bat."
There seemed an apparent bridge in both the skill and will of the two sides. While all of India's bowlers and batsmen contributed either with wickets, with runs or both. Sri Lankans could barely manage to put such performance in place. Even at times when they did, they couldn't keep it consistent unlike their Indian counterparts.
While Virat Kohli and Co. played with a clear gameplan, their opponents weren't able to sustain a decent performance throughout the entire series.
