India vs Sri Lanka

For a player who made his name as a T20 specialist at the start his career to pick up as many as 300 test match wickets is as astonishing as it can get . Ashwin made a very impressive test debut in 2011 against the West Indies but couldn't quite do the job in foreign conditions over the next 12 months. His breakout series was against Australia in 2013 when he took 28 wickets and spun India to a whitewash against the mighty Aussies. He played a few away test matches without much success. It was only after 2015 World Cup that Ashwin rediscovered the flight and guile to decieve the batsman in the air. From 2015 to 2017 Ashwin took a hell of a lot of wickets on Indian pitches as well as a couple of five-fors in the West Indies. Ashwin has formed a formidable partnership with Ravindra Jadeja in home conditions. It is because of Jadeja that Ashwin can try all the variations in actual match situations. Earlier Ashwin used to be all over the place with plenty of carrom balls but now he ha...

It was a fitting finale to one of the most dominant displays of all round cricket by India as Ashwin took his 300th Test wicket becoming the fastest ever to do so going past the legendary Denise Lillee. 205 was a nothing score on such a good batting wicket after winning the toss. What we saw on the next two days was nothing but sheer dominance and might of Indian batting line up. Everyone in the top 6 except Rahane and Rahul got hundreds, not to forget Captain Kohli's fifth double ton perhaps his easiest. It was important that Rohit Sharma got some time in the middle and Ishant Sharma's comeback was even more heartening to see keeping one eye on South Africa. Pujara and Vijay were as solid as ever at the top. Few might have felt the need of 5th bowler on this wicket but four were more than enough for this Sri Lankan batting line up which lacks confidence and just don't believe that they can beat India. This Sri Lankan team is easily the worst one ever to tour India. After A...

A draw looked inevitable before the start of today's play but you can never take anything out of the equation when you are watching the current Indian team. We saw almost everything that a day of test match cricket can produce. India started the day with caution and they couldn't get off to a brisk start which they might have hoped for. Few quick wickets and India was leading only by 150. Virat Kohli was unbeaten on 41 at lunch only to unleash himself in the post lunch session and provide an exhibition of a very high quality batsmanship. With trademark cover drives and a couple of uncharacteristic lofted shots, he reached his 18th Test match century and 50th International century and immediately declared the innings setting Sri Lanka 231 runs to win. Sri Lanka lost both their openers before Tea and a couple of wickets immediately after tea as well. Dickwella played some extraordinary shots but eventually fell to Bhuvaneswar Kumar who produced one of the most probing spells of ...

India start the series as overwhelming favourites and to be honest, Sri Lanka don't stand a chance to win a test match, let go the series. This Indian side is may be the most settled side in the World right now and certainly the toughest in home conditions. India have left out Hardik Pandya, a decision which I completely agree with for a couple of reasons. First of all, he needs some rest as he has played every match since Champions Trophy. The second reason though is more realistic and relevant to the situation. India doesn't need a seam bowling all rounder in these conditions as his bowling skills won't be needed because of a more than capable bowling attack including Ashwin-Jadeja. His batting lower down the order also won't be required because Sri Lanka don't have the bowling attack to go through the Indian top order as quickly.     The only care that needs to be taken is the nature of the pitches. If India produces a square turner at any time in the series, i...