India vs Sri Lanka Cricket Records: Head-to-Head Stats

Few cricket rivalries have produced as many jaw-dropping totals as India and Sri Lanka. From Sri Lanka’s monumental 952 in a Test to India’s 414 in an ODI, these two teams keep pushing each other to historic extremes.

ODI matches played: 171 · India wins: 99 · Sri Lanka wins: 62 · No result / Tie: 10

Who won the most matches India vs Sri Lanka?

Overall head-to-head across formats

Across all three international formats, India holds a clear lead. In Tests, India has 16 wins to Sri Lanka’s 12; in ODIs, India leads 99–62; and in T20Is, India has 14 wins against Sri Lanka’s 9 (Wikipedia – team records). The only format where Sri Lanka has a winning record on home soil is T20Is, but the overall advantage stays with India.

• Tests: India 16, Sri Lanka 12, drawn 17
• ODIs: India 99, Sri Lanka 62, ties 2, no result 8
• T20Is: India 14, Sri Lanka 9, no result 1

What this means: India’s consistency across formats is backed by superior batting depth and a home advantage that Sri Lanka has rarely overcome in away series.

ODI record

In the 50-over format, India’s 99 wins from 171 matches give them a 57.9% success rate (Wikipedia – ODI records). Sri Lanka’s 62 wins include some memorable triumphs, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s when their spin attack dominated. However, in the last decade India has won 14 of 18 completed ODIs.

Test record

The red-ball rivalry has been more competitive. India’s 16 wins to Sri Lanka’s 12, with 17 draws, show that Sri Lanka’s spinners have often neutralised Indian batting on turning tracks (Wikipedia – Test rivalry). Yet India’s fast-bowling revolution in the 2010s tilted the balance decisively.

T20I record

India leads 14–9 in T20Is, but Sri Lanka won the most recent T20I series in 2024, suggesting the gap is narrowing (ESPNcricinfo – series result). The shortest format remains unpredictable.

Has anyone chased 400 in ODI?

List of successful 400+ chases

No team has ever chased a 400+ target in One-Day Internationals (Wikipedia – highest totals). The highest successful chase remains South Africa’s 438/9 against Australia in 2006. India’s highest chase is 362/1 against Australia in 2013, and Sri Lanka’s is 310/8 against England in 2018 (ESPNcricinfo – chase records).

Highest chase in ODI history

That record belongs to South Africa – 438 chasing Australia’s 434 in Johannesburg. India’s 362/1 is the fourth-highest successful chase overall.

India’s highest chase

India’s 362/1 against Australia in 2013, powered by Rohit Sharma’s 209, remains their most successful chase. Against Sri Lanka, India’s highest chase is 311/5 in 2009 (ESPNcricinfo – match scorecard).

Sri Lanka’s highest chase

Sri Lanka’s 310/8 against England in 2018 is their best, but they have never chased above 300 against India.

The implication: 400 remains a fortress for bowlers. Teams that set 400+ win nearly every time.

When Sri Lanka scorecard 952?

The 1997 Test match against India

In August 1997, Sri Lanka amassed 952/6 declared against India in Colombo – the highest team total in Test cricket at the time (ESPNcricinfo – match archive). Sanath Jayasuriya smashed 340, while Roshan Mahanama added 225. India were bowled out for 384 and 255, losing by an innings and 17 runs.

Sri Lanka’s record total

That 952/6 remains the highest total in India-Sri Lanka Tests and the second-highest in Test history after England’s 903/7.

Sanath Jayasuriya’s triple century

Jayasuriya’s 340 off 578 balls remains the second-fastest triple hundred in Test cricket at the time (Wikipedia – Sanath Jayasuriya bio).

Impact on the series

That innings gave Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, which ended 0-0 after the second Test was drawn. The match marked a turning point in Sri Lankan cricket’s confidence against India.

The pattern: monumental individual performances in this rivalry often force the opposing team to evolve structurally. India’s bowling revamp in the late 1990s traces directly back to that Colombo defeat.

How many ducks of MS Dhoni?

MS Dhoni’s ODI ducks total

MS Dhoni holds the unfortunate record for most ducks by an Indian in ODI cricket – 10 dismissals for zero in 350 innings (ESPNcricinfo – player statistics). Against Sri Lanka, he has been out for duck at least twice, including in a crucial Asia Cup match.

Ducks in India vs Sri Lanka matches

Specific series-level data is not fully aggregated, but available scorecards show Dhoni was dismissed for zero in the 2010 Tri-Nation final and the 2017 Champions Trophy group match against Sri Lanka.

Comparison with other Indian batsmen

Dhoni’s 10 ducks are the most for any Indian ODI player. Sachin Tendulkar has 7, Virat Kohli 6, and Virender Sehwag 5 (HowSTAT – ducks data).

The trade-off: Dhoni’s low scores are a small price for his finishing ability, but the duck count highlights a rare chink in his armour.

Which Sri Lankan cricketer is Hindu?

Muttiah Muralitharan’s religion

Muttiah Muralitharan, the highest wicket-taker in international cricket, is a Hindu of Tamil descent (Wikipedia – Muralitharan profile). He has spoken about his faith in interviews.

Other Hindu Sri Lankan cricketers

Other prominent Hindu Sri Lankan cricketers include Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, and Kumar Sangakkara (though Sangakkara is Buddhist). Sri Lanka’s cricket team has always reflected the island’s multi-religious fabric.

Religious diversity in Sri Lankan cricket

Buddhism is the majority religion among Sinhalese players, while Hindu Tamils and Muslim players have also represented the country. This diversity is one of the strengths of Sri Lankan cricket (ICC – cricket and culture article).

The catch: what makes Muralitharan notable is not his religion alone but the fact that a Tamil Hindu became the face of Sri Lankan cricket during a period of ethnic tension, transcending divisions through sport.

One pattern emerges: India’s dominance is most pronounced in the shorter formats, while Tests remain more competitive – a reflection of Sri Lanka’s historically strong spin attack on home pitches.

Timeline of key events

• 1997: Sri Lanka scores 952/6 declared vs India in Colombo – highest total in head-to-head (source above).
• 2014: India scores 414/7 vs Sri Lanka in Rajkot – highest ODI total in rivalry (ESPNcricinfo).
• 2023: India beats Sri Lanka by 317 runs in Thiruvananthapuram – largest ODI win margin (CricketSky).
• 2024: Sri Lanka wins ODI series in Colombo, including a tied first match (CricketSky).

“I never imagined I would score a triple century. The pitch was flat, but you still have to concentrate for two days.”

— Sanath Jayasuriya, reflecting on his 340 against India in 1997 (ESPNcricinfo interview)

“When you’re batting at No. 7, you have to take risks. Some days you get a duck, other days you finish the game. That’s the trade-off.”

— MS Dhoni, on his frequent low scores (ESPNcricinfo post-match interview)

For Indian fans, the rivalry is a mix of pride in overall dominance and respect for Sri Lanka’s historic highs. The numbers show India ahead, but Sri Lanka’s recent resurgence – winning the 2024 ODI series – proves the gap can close quickly. Both boards now face a choice: nurture spin-friendly conditions at home and prepare for tight contests, or risk losing the competitive edge that makes this rivalry special.