Ravindra Jadeja's brilliance helps India defeat Sri Lanka in Mohali Test inside three days

Hosts win by innings and 222 runs on Sunday as Jadeja finishes with nine wickets in match after first-innings century

India's Ravindra Jadeja, centre, celebrates with his teammates the dismissal of Sri Lanka's Lasith Embuldeniya in the second innings on the third day of the first Test in Mohali on Sunday, March 6, 2022. AP

India's Ravindra Jadeja, left, celebrates with Shreyas Iyer after the dismissal of Sri Lanka's Suranga Lakmal. AFP

Sri Lanka's Lahiru Kumara is cleaned bowled by India's Ravindra Jadeja. AFP

India's Ravindra Jadeja picked up nine wickets in the Mohali Test after scoring 175. AFP

Sri Lanka lost the first Test in Mohali inside three days. AP

Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka walks back to the pavilion as India's Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates his dismissal. AFP

An Indian cricket fan, left, ran on to the pitch on the third day of the first Test in Mohali. AP

Ravindra Jadeja delivered one of the all-time great Test performances as India defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs in Mohali on Sunday.

Jadeja first starred with the bat, blasting 175 not out from just 228 balls in India's first innings score of 574-8 declared.

He then followed it up with equally brilliant efforts in the next two innings with the ball as Jadeja ended up with nine wickets in the match to seal an innings win inside three days.

The left-arm spinner took 5-41 to help bowl out Sri Lanka for 174 in their first innings after the tourists resumed the day on 108-4, with the hosts enforcing the follow-on.

The Sri Lankans did not fare any better in the second outing. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took 4-47, while Jadeja finished with 4-46 as the tourists collapsed to 178 all out.

Jadeja said he was happy to have contributed with bat and ball, stating the PCA Stadium in Mohali has always been a happy hunting ground.

“This is my lucky ground. Whenever I come here, I always get positive vibes,” Jadeja said. “To be honest I don't know about stats [hundred and ten wickets in same Test] but I am happy to do well with bat and ball. When you perform like this, you feel very confident.”

Niroshan Dickwella remained unbeaten on 51 when Ashwin got the final wicket of the injured Lahiru Kumara, triggering wild celebrations in Virat Kohli's 100th Test match.

Ashwin, who now has 436 wickets in 85 Tests, took four in Sri Lanka's second innings and went past India seam-bowling great Kapil Dev's tally of 434.

The off-spinner dismissed Charith Asalanka for 20 to become India's second highest wicket-taker behind spin legend Anil Kumble who finished his career with 619 Test scalps.

Ashwin unsettled the top-order with two wickets either side of the lunch break as he sent back Lahiru Thirimanne for a duck and Pathum Nissanka caught behind for six.

Pace bowler Mohammed Shami was rewarded for his consistency as he had skipper Dimuth Karunaratne caught behind for 27.

Angelo Mathews (28) and Dhananjaya de Silva (30) then added 49 runs in their attempt to resist the team's quick fall before Jadeja broke the stand as de Silva played a loose stroke and holed out.

Jadeja maintained the pressure and trapped Mathews lbw ending his 118-minute stay at the crease. Three balls later, Suranga Lakmal holed out for a three-ball duck in a replay from the morning’s first-innings dismissal.

The collapse saw Sri Lanka slump from 94-4 to 121-7 in the space of 24 balls.

India captain Rohit Sharma admitted that he did not expect the match to be finished so quickly. “I never thought it was going to be that kind of a Test that gets over in three days,” he said. “It was a good batting wicket with help for spinners and seamers. Credit to our bowlers who bowled in tandem and applied pressure,” Sharma said.