LONDON: Ravichandran Ashwin claimed he is no Dennis Lillee after the spin king helped India crush Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs in the second Test.
Ashwin became the fastest bowler to reach 300 Test wickets, taking just 54 matches to reach the mark — two fewer than Aussie pace ace Lillee who terrorized batsmen throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.
Lillee is understandably viewed as one of the greatest bowlers of all time, but when asked asked to comment on beating his enviable record, the off-spinner played with a very straight bat, saying any comparison is unfair.
“We are a bit more blessed than the other greats. We have technology to help. We have help with our fitness. So we shouldn’t compare,” he said after the top-ranked hosts wrapped up the win inside four days to stamp their class.
“I really hope I can go on to double these 300 wickets. I’ve only played 50-odd Tests,” said the 31-year-old, who finished with a match haul of eight for 130.
“It’s not easy bowling spin, it looks like you’re just ambling up. But there’s a lot behind it.
“We have bowled a lot of overs, me and Jaddu (fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja) in the last 24 months. I am a lot more experienced now.”
The victory equalled India’s biggest Test win, achieved against Bangladesh 10 years ago and only served to underline just how impotent Sri Lanka seem to be when playing in India — in 19 Tests on Indian soil they have lost 11 and drawn the other eight.
This time around the tourists, who started the day on 21 for one after conceding a 405-run first innings lead, crashed to 166 all out, giving Ashwin and Co. a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with the first game having ended in a draw.
Skipper Dinesh Chandimal put up some resistance with 61 but the rest of the batsmen put up little or no fight.
Left-arm spinner Jadeja and fast bowlers Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma took two wickets each to underline India’s all-round dominance.
Jadeja struck early in the morning session when he had opener Dimuth Karunaratne caught at short leg for 18.
The left-handed Karunaratne, who resumed the day on 11, got an inside edge on a tossed-up delivery from Jadeja and Murali Vijay took a sharp close catch.
Karunaratne’s overnight partner Lahiru Thirimanne played a careless shot way outside off stump to hand a simple catch to Jadeja off Yadav for 23.
Sri Lanka squandered the advantage of winning the toss and batting first as they were skittled out for 205 on the opening day.
“It was a good toss to win. Unfortunately we were outplayed from the first day. Our batting let us down again. When you’re playing against India, you’ve got to score 350-plus,” said Chandimal.
“The bowling unit has done a really good job. But if you have no runs on the board, they can’t do anything.”
The third and final Test starts in Delhi on Saturday.
Ashwin became the fastest bowler to reach 300 Test wickets, taking just 54 matches to reach the mark — two fewer than Aussie pace ace Lillee who terrorized batsmen throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.
Lillee is understandably viewed as one of the greatest bowlers of all time, but when asked asked to comment on beating his enviable record, the off-spinner played with a very straight bat, saying any comparison is unfair.
“We are a bit more blessed than the other greats. We have technology to help. We have help with our fitness. So we shouldn’t compare,” he said after the top-ranked hosts wrapped up the win inside four days to stamp their class.
“I really hope I can go on to double these 300 wickets. I’ve only played 50-odd Tests,” said the 31-year-old, who finished with a match haul of eight for 130.
“It’s not easy bowling spin, it looks like you’re just ambling up. But there’s a lot behind it.
“We have bowled a lot of overs, me and Jaddu (fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja) in the last 24 months. I am a lot more experienced now.”
The victory equalled India’s biggest Test win, achieved against Bangladesh 10 years ago and only served to underline just how impotent Sri Lanka seem to be when playing in India — in 19 Tests on Indian soil they have lost 11 and drawn the other eight.
This time around the tourists, who started the day on 21 for one after conceding a 405-run first innings lead, crashed to 166 all out, giving Ashwin and Co. a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with the first game having ended in a draw.
Skipper Dinesh Chandimal put up some resistance with 61 but the rest of the batsmen put up little or no fight.
Left-arm spinner Jadeja and fast bowlers Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma took two wickets each to underline India’s all-round dominance.
Jadeja struck early in the morning session when he had opener Dimuth Karunaratne caught at short leg for 18.
The left-handed Karunaratne, who resumed the day on 11, got an inside edge on a tossed-up delivery from Jadeja and Murali Vijay took a sharp close catch.
Karunaratne’s overnight partner Lahiru Thirimanne played a careless shot way outside off stump to hand a simple catch to Jadeja off Yadav for 23.
Sri Lanka squandered the advantage of winning the toss and batting first as they were skittled out for 205 on the opening day.
“It was a good toss to win. Unfortunately we were outplayed from the first day. Our batting let us down again. When you’re playing against India, you’ve got to score 350-plus,” said Chandimal.
“The bowling unit has done a really good job. But if you have no runs on the board, they can’t do anything.”
The third and final Test starts in Delhi on Saturday.
