Virat Kohli's Team India have added one more milestone to their already illustrious cabinet after matching former legend Ricky Ponting's record of nine consecutive series win in Test cricket. Ponting led the mighty Australians to nine straight Test series wins from 2005 to 2008.
India registered a record ninth straight series win after drawing the third and final Test against Sri Lanka at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi on Wednesday. Chasing an improbable 410, a defiant Sri Lanka rode on Dhananjaya de Silva's third Test century and debutant Roshen Silva's unbeaten half-century to score 299/5, before both the captains decided to settle for the draw.
The first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Kolkata also had ended in a draw but the hosts won the second game in Nagpur in an emphatic fashion by an innings and 239 runs. Sri Lanka managed to salvage some pride in the in final match thanks to Dhananjaya de Silva and Roshen Silva, who defied the odds and fought back to deny India a win.
Dhananjaya, who retired hurt on 119 due to muscle stiffness, and Roshen (74 not out) held Sri Lanka steady over three sessions of play on the final day, after being set 410 for victory late on Day 4. Roshen was batting alongside Niroshan Dickwella on 44 when the two teams decided to shake hands with just seven mandatory overs left for the day.
The Test was marred by severe pollution in the Indian capital, with fast bowlers from both sides vomiting on Tuesday. On the field, it was Ravindra Jadeja who rattled the Sri Lankan top order with three strikes including Angelo Mathews's key wicket in the morning session. But De Silva thwarted the Indian attack with his third Test hundred.
He built crucial partnerships with captain Dinesh Chandimal (36) and then with debutant Roshen Silva, who began his Test career with a duck in the first innings.
After Dhananjaya's injury, Roshen combined with Dickwella in an unbeaten 94-run stand.
