India vs Sri Lanka Man of the Match today: The Indian all-rounder has won a match award after almost half-a-decade.
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During the third day of the first Test of the ongoing Sri Lanka’s tour of India in Mohali, India beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs to gain an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Resuming from their overnight score of 108/4, Sri Lanka weren’t expected to lose as many as 16 wickets within three sessions to be part of a third-day finish at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium.
Barring batter Pathum Nissanka (61) and wicket-keeper batter Niroshan Dickwella (51*) scoring individual half-centuries in the first and second innings respectively, no other Sri Lankan batter managed to put on display any resistance against an in-form Indian bowling unit.
Coming on the back of a career-best 175* (228) in the first innings on Day 2, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja registered a 10th Test five-wicket haul this morning to bundle out the visitors for 174 in 65 overs in the first innings.
Continuing to make the most of a fantastic Test match, Jadeja picked bowling figures of 16-5-46-4 to emerge as the pick of the bowlers in the second innings as well. Other than Jadeja, fellow all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin also picked four wickets in the second innings to dismiss Sri Lanka for 178 in 60 overs in the third session on Sunday.
India vs Sri Lanka Man of the Match 1st Test today
Had Jadeja picked another wicket in the match, he would’ve become the first-ever Indian cricket to score a century and pick 10 Test wickets in a Test match. Despite that, in what goes without saying, Jadeja was declared the Man of the Match for scoring 175* and picked bowling figures of 29-9-87-9 in his 58th Test.
Jadeja, who has won a match award in Test cricket after almost half-a-decade, has won his third such award in Mohali. The 33-year old player winning three out of his seven Test match awards in Mohali Tests speaks highly about his tryst with the venue.
“I would say this [Mohali] is my lucky ground. Whenever I come here, I get positive vibes. I was looking to build a partnership with Rishabh [Pant], give him the strike and enjoy his batting from the other end,” Jadeja told Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.
“Feeling very good, happy to score runs and pick wickets for the team. Obviously as a player you boost your confidence with such a performance. I have not done anything differently, just played to my strengths and I give myself time to settle down. I look to keep it very simple out in the middle.”
