Indian bowlers with best innings figures in Sri Lanka (Tests)
What's the story
As Team India gears up to take on Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series, it's worth looking back at some of the most dominant performances in this long-standing rivalry. The first match of the series will be played in Galle on August 15. Notably, this will be India's first Test in Sri Lanka in nine years, and the hosts haven't won a series against India since 2008. Here we look at the best innings figures by an Indian bowler on Lankan soil (Tests)
#1
Ravichandran Ashwin - 6/46 in Galle, 2015
Former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the two Indians with a six-wicket haul in Sri Lanka.
He made the ball talk on Day 1 of the 2015 Galle affair.
The ace spinner triggered a collapse that saw the islanders being bundled out for 183 despite being once placed at 139/5.
Ashwin recorded his then-best overseas figures of 6/46 in 13.4 overs, though India later lost this Test by 63 runs.
The spinner claimed a four-fer in his second outing, completing 10 wickets in the match.
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Ashwin remains the only Indian with multiple Test five-wicket hauls in Sri Lanka. He claimed the milestone thrice with his other fifers being 5/42 in 2015 and 5/69 in 2017. Both these spells were recorded in Colombo.
#2
Harbhajan Singh - 6/102 in Galle, 2008
Harbhajan Singh, another legendary off-spinner, was the first Indian with a six-fer in Sri Lanka.
He was brilliant in the second innings of the 2008 Galle affair.
Responding to India's first-innings score of 329/10, the Lankans were cruising at 137/1 when Harbhajan trapped well-set opener Malinda Warnapura for 66.
He overall dismissed five of SL's top-seven batters as the hosts folded for 292.
Harbhajan returned with 6/102 in 40.3 as India later won by 170 runs.
The offie claimed four wickets in his second outing to complete a match 10-fer.