IND vs SL: Three best bowling spells in India-Sri Lanka Tests
India and Sri Lanka have met each other in 44 Test matches so far and there have been some great bowling performances from both sides. These solid efforts from the bowlers are completely dominated by the spinners. Both the Asian teams have had some great spinners in their ranks over the years and the matches have witnessed their skills.
Let’s take a look at the 3 best bowling spells between India and Sri Lanka Tests:
3.Maninder Singh (7/51)
Maninder Singh took 7/51 in the second of the three-match Test series in Nagpur in 1986. In the second innings, the spinner dismissed seven Sri Lankan players in 17.4 overs spell with four maidens and an economy rate of just 2.88. He also got rid of Lanka’s highest run-scorers in the innings, Ravi Ratnayake, for 54 runs and Duleep Mendis for 38 runs. The visitors got bundled out for 141 as India won the Test by an innings and 106 runs. Maninder also took three wickets in the first innings as he ended the match with ten scalps.
2.Rangana Herath (7/48)
In 2015, Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath spun his web to dismiss India for just 112 runs in the chase of 176 runs with a brilliant spell of 7/48 in the first Test match in Galle. The wily spinner bowled a magnificent spell of 21 overs which included six maidens with an economy rate of 2.28. He also dismissed the well-set Ajinkya Rahane for 36 to clinch a low-scoring thriller for Sri Lanka by 63 runs. Having gone wicketless in the first innings, Herath came back to stun the Indians in the second innings to win the game for the Island nation.
1.Muthiah Muralitharan (8/87)
The legendary Sri Lankan spinner Muthiah Muralitharan, who had 800 Test wickets to his name, the most by any bowler, wreaked havoc with his terrific display of spin bowling in Colombo (SSC) in 2001. India batted first in the third and the decisive match of the series and scored only 234 runs courtesy of Muralitharan’s spell of 8/87. He bowled 34.1 overs with nine maidens and an economy rate of 2.54. After breaking the back of the Indian batting line-up in the first innings, he also claimed three in the second to win the match and series 2-1 for Sri Lanka. He was declared as the Player of the Match and also the Player of the Series for 23 wickets in the three matches.
