World No.1 India completed a 3-0 clean sweep of Sri Lanka with an innings and 171-run annihilation in the third and final Test, bringing to an early end to one of the most lopsided series in recent years.
None of the three matches last five days, with the final one being the shortest, lasting just two and a half days. With Sri Lanka resuming the day at 19/1 after following-on and facing a 352-run deficit, the final outcome was a foregone conclusion.
The hosts were eventually bundled out for 181 in 74.3 overs in their second innings shortly before tea on day three to hand the visitors a first-ever series clean sweep on overseas soil.
The pace duo of Umesh Yadav (2/21) and Mohammed Shami (3/32) provided the early breakthroughs for India before the spinners Kuldeep Yadav (1/56) and Ravichandran Ashwin (4/68) made further inroads.
Here are some interesting stats and facts post India's historic series triumph over the Islanders.
1. This is the first time India have completed a whitewash in an overseas series of three or more Tests. Overall, this is the fifth time India have whitewashed a Test series of three or more matches.
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2. Virat Kohli (7) is now at the second position in most overseas Test wins for Indians captains, Sourav Ganguly leads the table with 11 victories.
3. The last visiting side before India to whitewash the home side was Australia when they beat South Africa 3-0 in Mar-Apr 2006.
4. India (nine) have won most Tests in Sri Lanka among all visiting teams, Virat Kohli’s men have managed to win their last five Tests in the island nation. Whereas, Sri Lanka are yet to win a Test match on the Indian soil.
5. This is the second time Sri Lanka have been whitewashed at home in a series of three or more matches. Earlier, Ricky Ponting led Australia thrashed the Lankan lions at home in 2003-04. Overall, this is the sixth time they have been whitewashed in a series of three or more Tests.
6. India skipper Virat Kohli (19) is at the second spot in the most number of wins by a captain after his first 29 Tests. Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting won 21-each.
7. This is the eighth time a visiting side has managed to whitewash the home side in series of three or more Tests. However, it is the first time an Asian side have managed to achieve this feat.
8. In away Tests, this is India’s second-largest innings victory. Meanwhile, for Sri Lanka, this is their fifth-biggest innings defeat and second-biggest at home.
9. India have thrice recorded first-innings lead of over 300 runs in this series, this is the most by an Indian team in any series. India's first-innings lead’s in this series: 309 (Galle), 439 (Colombo) and 352 (Pallekele).
10. Five Indian players scored centuries in this series - Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Hardik Pandya. This is the joint-most in an away Test series of any number of matches for India.
11. Hardik Pandya is the only Indian player to score 100+ runs before lunch on any day of a Test. He scored his maiden Test hundred in the Pallekele Test.
12. This is the 8th consecutive Test series win for Virat Kohli as a captain - the second most by any captain. Ricky Ponting of Australia holds the record with nine Test series win.
13. Opener Lokesh Rahul becomes the first Indian player to score seven consecutive fifty-plus scores in Tests.
14. Shikhar Dhawan is the only Indian left-handed opener to score five overseas centuries.
