Rohit Sharma’s Test captaincy got off to a perfect start on Sunday, as a number of emphatic performances helped India defeat Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs in just three days to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. 

The openers looked solid before Hanuma Vihari excelled as the new number three, scoring a fifty. Virat Kohli, in his 100th Test, completed 8,000 runs in the format, Rishabh Pant showed he is anchor of the lower-middle order with a brilliant 96.

Ravichandran Ashwin was among the runs and wickets and, of course, there was Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 175 and nine wickets as an elated Sharma said that India “ticked all the boxes” in the win. 

“It was a good start. It was a great game of cricket from our perspective. We ticked all the boxes we wanted to. To be honest I didn’t think it is going to be that kind of a Test match which would get over in three days,” Sharma said in his post-match comments. 

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“It was a good batting pitch, there was some turn and some assistance for the seamers as well. Lot of credit to the guys, they bowled very well in tandem, kept the pressure and never made it easier for the Sri Lanka batsmen. We just ensured we applied pressure from both ends.”

“Good signs for India cricket. Lot of performances, landmark Test match for Virat (Kohli) and we wanted to come up out here and win the Test first and foremost. It was heartening to see such big individual performances”. 

The win makes Sharma only the second Indian captain to win his maiden Test in charge by an innings, with Pollu Umrigar having led India to a win over New Zealand by an innings and 27 runs in 1955/56. 

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Meanwhile, his Sri Lankan counterpart Dimuth Karunaratne lamented his side’s meek performance, underscoring the importance of making the most of “good starts” against teams like India. 

Sri Lanka lost 16 wickets on day three – the joint-most the side has ever lost in a single day’s play – as they crumbled under pressure from India’s well-rounded bowling attack.  

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“We never thought it would finish by day three. The batters need to put their hands up and bat longer innings. When you are playing against India you have to capitalize on the starts, it was easy to bat on this track, once you get in you have to score big.”

“We were too defensive or too aggressive with the bat, need to get a balance between both by rotating the strike and that’s how you play a big innings.”