By IANS,
Colombo: V.V.S. Laxman with his match-winning unbeaten 103 in the second innings of the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka here Saturday has become the fourth Indian to post a century for a winning cause in the fourth innings of a Test.
Laxman joins Gundappa Viswanath, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar in the list of the batsmen who had scored a century in the fourth innings for a winning cause.
Laxman’s second century against Sri Lanka is his 16th in Tests — ninth in an overseas Test.
For Laxman, it was also his first hundred in Sri Lanka — and also his first in the fourth innings of a Test match, outstripping the 74 against England at Lord’s in July 2002.
The following are the other statistical highlights of the games:
Sachin Tendulkar has amassed 390 at an average of 78.00 – the most by an Indian in the just concluded series and the second best, next only to Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 467 (ave.116.75).
Tendulkar has averaged 50 or more in seven consecutive series for the first time.
Laxman is the fourth Indian to post a century for a winning cause in the fourth innings of a Test, joining Gundappa Viswanath, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar
For the first time, Laxman has registered a hundred and a fifty in a Test match against Sri Lanka – 56 and 103 not out.
Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar were associated in a stand of 109 for the fifth wicket – India’s highest against Sri Lanka at Colombo (PSS), outstripping the 105 in the first innings of the just concluded Test.
For Tendulkar, the aforesaid partnership is his 77th century stand – a tally bettered only by Rahul Dravid (82) and Ricky Ponting (78).
Tendulkar has amassed 867 runs at an average of 86.70, including five centuries and two fifties, in seven Tests – the highest tally by any batsman in 2010.
Suresh Raina has batted exceedingly well in his debut series, averaging 111.50 – 223 in three innings, including one hundred and one fifty.
India’s fourth triumph over Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka is their 35th on foreign soil in 216 Tests (Lost 89 and Drawn 92).
India’s five-wicket victory is their first in four Tests at Colombo (PSS).
After losing to Pakistan sixteen years ago, way back in 1994, by 301 runs, Sri Lanka have lost their first Test at this venue. Sri Lanka had won five consecutive Tests prior to the just concluded Test.
Suraj Randiv (5/82) has recorded his first five-wicket haul in Tests, obliterating the 4 for 80 in the first innings of the just concluded Test.
Randiv’s match figures of 9 for 162 are the best by a Sri Lankan spinner against India at Colombo (PSS), surpassing the 8 for 137 by Ajantha Mendis in 2008.
Sri Lankan fast bowler, Rumesh Ratnayeke’s figures of 9 for 125 in 1985 are the best for Sri Lanka against India.
Laxman has received his fourth Man of the Match award – his first against Sri Lanka.
Virender Sehwag has rceived the Player of the series for the fifth time – an Indian record.
Tendulkar (54) has posted his 56th fifty in Tests – his sixth against Sri Lanka.