Virat Kohli-led India complete their first away series whitewash after beating Sri Lanka by an innings and 171 runs in the third Test in Pallekele on Monday.

Following-on, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 181 in the second session on Day three of the third Test.

Sri Lanka, who resumed the day on 19/1, struggled to form a partnerships as India’s bowlers kept them on the backfoot for much of the day. Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews shared a 50-run stand for the fifth wicket, but hardly posed a major threat. Mohammed Shami and R Ashwin were in fine form. The pacer impressed with three wickets, while the latter picked up four scalps.

The whitewash holds significance as no Indian team earlier has managed to achieve the feat in a full Test series away.

As it happened:

2.50pm: WICKET! India complete 3-0 whitewash. They clinch third Test by an innings and 171 runs. Kumara is the last man to fall. He edges the ball off Ashwin onto the stumps. This is India’s first series whitewash (minimum three Tests). Sri Lanka 181 all out.

2.30pm: WICKET! India now need just one more wicket to complete series whitewash. Umesh Yadav dismisses Dickwella on 41. The Sri Lanka batsman looks to place the ball behind the wicket, but hits it near Rahane fielding at third slip. Rahane shows fine reflexes to complete a fine catch. Sri Lanka 168/9. They trail India by 184 runs.

Umesh Yadav has picked up two wickets so far during Sri Lanka's second innings. Photo: AFP

2.20pm: WICKET! Shami picks up his third scalp. Sandakan departs on 8. Looks to smash an expansive shot but only manages an edge and is caught behind. India now just two wickets away from sealing a famous win. Sri Lanka 166/8.

2.15pm: India are now turning to their pacers. Shami came in and bowled a quite fiery over. Umesh is now bowling from the other end. Dickwella is ticking away. Has now scored 36 runs. Sri Lanka 158/7. They trail India by 194 runs.

2.00pm: 150 up for Sri lanka. The lower-order is sweeping their way out of the hole, but it appears to be just a matter of time before India’s spinners find a way through. Sri Lanka 151/7.

1.45pm: WICKET! Sri Lanka lose their seventh wicket. Perera holes out to Pandya in the deep off Ashwin. Pandya ran around 20 paces to his right to complete a comfortable catch. India just three wickets away from series whitewash. Sri Lanka 138/7.

1.40pm: India are just four wickets away from a series whitewash. Dickwella hanging it there, despite his scrappy batting. Has handed India a few close chances so far. Sri Lanka 137/6 (Dickwella 19*, Perera 8*). They trail India by 215 runs.

1.20pm: WICKET! Mathews departs on 35. Ashwin gets him to sweep and orchestrates his downfall. He traps in front of the stumps, the Umpire raises his finger, but Mathews asks for a review. The ball just about nicks the leg stump, but the decision stays with the Umpire. Sri Lanka 118/6.

1.05pm: WICKET! Kuldeep gets the breakthrough, dismisses Chandimal on 36. The Sri Lanka skipper tries to swat the ball away on the leg side, but only manages to place it in the hands of the short-leg fielder. The wicket breaks a 54-run partnership between Chandimal and Mathews. Sri Lanka 104/5.

Kuldeep (second from left) dismissed Chandimal to pick up his first wicket of Sri Lanka's second innings. Photo: Reuters

12.52pm: We resume after Lunch. Mathews and Chandimal have now added 50 runs for the fifth wicket. They are steadily building up a resistance. India will want to break this stand quickly. Sri Lanka 90/4 (Mathews 21*, Chandimal 30*).

12.05 pm: And that’s lunch. Mathews and Chandimal go into the break at 82/4, a recovery of sorts from 39/4. They, however (gulp) still need another 270 to make India bat again.

The session was summed up by a fantastic spell of fast bowling from the lion-hearted Shami who deserved the two wickets he got. Ashwin also bowled well and had a jaffa with which he dismissed Karunaratne.

11.50 pm: Ten minutes away till lunch. These two are still batting. Can they stay till lunch? 75/4.

11.20 pm: Well, minor shock and horror, we finally have an update without the fall of a wicket. Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal have put on 27 for the fifth wicket...without getting dislodged. Small victories and all, yeah? Sri Lanka 66/4.

10.45 pm: Kusal Mendis is the next one gone. Moves across his stumps too much and is thudded onto this pads. A grim-looking Tucker, who probably didn’t like the shot, gives him out immediately. SL collapsing. Can they reach 135 at least? 39/4.

Sigh, Rahul. They have been in transition since, it feels like, forever.

10.34 am: Mohammed Shami has stood out with his pace and swing and he gets the night watchman Malinda Pushpakumara. Playing and missing, prodding and poking, finally gets the edge. Pushpaukumara happily walk. Sri Lanka 34/3.

10.11 am: Gone. Well that didn’t last long. Ravichandran Ashwin, third ball of his day, gets one to turn and bounce sharply. Karunaratne pushes at it, takes the edge and goes to Rahane. The procession begins. Sri Lanka 26/2.

Aakash Chopra sums it up:

9.45 pm: If you missed it, it was the Pandya show:

And a sampling of the the kind of reaction he generated on Twitter:

Pandya is his own man. That’s what makes him so special:

“Pandya has ticked a lot of boxes in this series, but this changeover in batting approach in the first half of his innings on Sunday is quintessentially the most vital of them all. In doing so, he has thumbed his nose at quite a few people. Some of them have called him Kapil Dev re-incarnate; others – including his captain – have deemed him to be India’s Ben Stokes. He is neither.”