Stats highlights from the SSC where 15 wickets fell on the third day of the third Test between Sri Lanka and India
Shiva Jayaraman30-Aug-20152001 Last time an India fast bowler before Ishant Sharma took a five-for in Tests in Sri Lanka. Venkatesh Prasad had returns of 5 for 72 in the second innings of the Kandy Test in 2001. Ishant’s 5 for 54 are the best bowling figures by an India pacer in Sri Lanka and only the fourth five-wicket haul by an Indian in Sri Lanka4 Five-wicket hauls by Ishant in 12 Tests since 2014; in 53 Tests before 2014, Ishant had taken only three five-fors. Since 2014, he has taken 48 wickets at an average of 30.95 and a strike rate of 53.0. He had taken 149 wickets at 38.81 before that and had a strike rate of 69.7.154 Runs conceded by India to Sri Lanka’s last five wickets after they had reduced the hosts to 47 for 5 in their first innings. Including this innings, the last five times India have had their opposition 5 wickets down for less than 100 runs, they have allowed more than 100 runs for the last-five wickets each time – 586 and 108 v New Zealand in Wellington, and 272 and 123 versus Sri Lanka in the Galle Test.15 Wickets that fell on the third day of this Test – equal the third highest in a day’s play at the SSC. In a Test between the hosts and England in 2001, 22 wickets fell on the third day, which are the most in a day at this venue. In the last Test as well at this venue, 15 wickets fell on the fourth day’s play.3 Number of India batsmen to carry their bat before Cheteshwar Pujara in India’s first innings. The first India batsmen to do it was Sunil Gavaskar against Pakistan in Faisalabad in 1983. Virender Sehwag did it against Sri Lanka, in Galle in 2008. The last one to do it was Rahul Dravid at the Oval in 2011. Click here for a list of batsmen who have carried their bat in Tests. Pujara followed up his first innings effort with a duck in the second innings thus becoming only the fourth batsmen to carry the bat in one innings and get out for a duck in the other innings of a Test. Bill Woodfull of Australia was the first, in the first Ashes Test in 1928-29. Geoff Boycott remained unbeaten on 99 in the second innings after getting a duck in the first in Perth in 1979-80. The last such instance was Saeed Anwar’s 0 and 188 in the Kolkata Test in 1999.6.36 Average runs scored by opening partnerships in this series – the second lowest in a series with ten or more innings. Sri Lanka and India’s first wickets have totally made just 70 runs from 11 innings with a highest stand of 15 between Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva in the first innings in Galle.6 Number of times Pujara has batted on to make at least 135 runs out of his seven Test centuries, including his unbeaten 145 in India’s first innings. The only time he didn’t do that was against West Indies in Mumbai in 2013 when he got out for 113.8 Number of single-digit scores by Sri Lanka’s openers out of ten innings in this series. The three openers played by Sri Lanka so far have together scored 120 runs at an average 12 and a highest of 51 by Kaushal Silva in the second innings at P Sara Oval.1970 The last time three different openers made centuries in a series for any team before Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Pujara for India in this series. John Edrich, Geoff Boycott and Brian Luckhurst had made hundreds as openers for England in the 1970-71 Ashes. Including the latest instance by India, this has happened only five times.5 Number of Sri Lanka wicketkeepers to hit a fifty-plus score on debut before Kusal Perera in this Test. Including Perera Sri Lanka’s last-three wicketkeepers have made at least a fifty on debut. Niroshan Dickwella and Dinesh Chandimal – Sri Lanka’s previous two wicketkeepers – had also made fifty-plus scores on debut.49 Runs by Rangana Herath in Sri Lanka’s first innings – the highest by a Sri Lanka No. 9 batsman at the SSC. The previous highest was Upul Chandana’s 40 against South Africa in 2004. Herath fell one run short of what would have been only the fourth fifty by a No. 9 on this ground. Amit Mishra had made 59 – the highest by a No. 9 at this venue – in India’s first innings in this Test.108 Runs by No. 9 batsmen in this Test – the second highest in Tests between Sri Lanka and India with two more innings possible in the match. Ajit Agarkar and Malinga Bandara had together scored 113 runs in the Ahmedabad Test in 2005, the highest by No. 9 batsmen in Tests between the two teams.
