The Sri Lankans in India, 1982-83

Sri Lanka lost all three one-day internationals during their first official tour of India, in September 1982. However, they drew the one Test match, in Madras, and won a one-day limited-overs match against Delhi, the Ranji Trophy champions.

The Sri Lankan side consisted of C. Shaffter (manager), A. Polonovita (assistant manager), Bandula Warnapura (captain), Duleep Mendis (vice-captain), Ashantha de Mel, Ajith de Silva, Somachandra de Silva, Roy Dias, Mahes Goonatillake, Vinodhan John, Ranjan Madugalle, Bernard Perera, Anura Ranasinghe, Arjuna Ranatunga, Ravi Ratnayeke and Sidath Wettimuny. Rumesh Ratnayake, a medium-paced bowler, was flown in on the eve of the Madras Test, when there was some doubt about De Mel's fitness.

It was Krishnamachari Srikkanth who upset Sri Lanka's plans in the one-day internationals, his personal scoring-rate of 1.3 runs a ball (244 runs off 195 balls) having a telling effect. Dias, his successful counterpart in the Sri Lanka team, made 39, 102 and 121 in the three matches. Dias was a more cultured stroke-player than Srikkanth but what mattered in these matches was the latter's better scoring-rate.

Sri Lanka ended all speculation about their ability to stand up to India in a five-day Test match by achieving an honourable draw. Their adventurous approach to batting, which won them many admirers, was reflected in the way Dias and Mendis rescued them from a poor start in both innings. Mendis, who batted with masterly efficiency to become the first Sri Lankan batsman to score a century in each innings of a Test, and Dias, who played dazzling front-foot drives, exposed the Indian attack's vulnerability under pressure. Sri Lanka's fielding, with Dias outstanding in the covers, was good, but their bowling set few problems for the Indian batting, Sunil Gavaskar and Sandip Patil scoring centuries. Gavaskar, nursing an injured foot, withdrew from the one-day internationals.

Match reports for

1st ODI: India v Sri Lanka at Amritsar, Sep 12, 1982
Report | Scorecard

2nd ODI: India v Sri Lanka at Delhi, Sep 15, 1982
Report | Scorecard

Only Test: India v Sri Lanka at Chennai, Sep 17-22, 1982
Report | Scorecard

3rd ODI: India v Sri Lanka at Bengaluru, Sep 26, 1982
Report | Scorecard