In the India-Sri Lanka Test series, batsmen at No. 9 and 10 were more successful than the openers. So let's explore this interesting statistic.

IND vs SL Test

The two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka has concluded. Team India won the series 1-0, hosted by Sri Lanka. India won the first Test, while the second ended in a draw. Now, after the series' conclusion, a surprising statistic has emerged: throughout the series, the No. 9 and 10 batsmen faced more balls than the openers.

For Sri Lanka, the tail-enders, batting at No. 9 and 10, faced more balls than their openers. In both innings of the second Test in Colombo, Sri Lanka's lower-order batsmen spent more time batting. As a result, the tail-enders faced more balls than the openers.

What the data says

In both matches of the series, Sri Lanka's openers faced a total of 216 balls. But the No. 9 and 10 batsmen faced 303 balls. This is truly astonishing. That many balls means playing more than 50 overs.

Sri Lanka's tailenders shine in the Colombo Test

In the match, Team India declared their first innings at 503 for 9. Sri Lanka, batting next, lost 7 wickets for just 173 runs. From there, it seemed the team would reach a maximum of 210 or 220, but the lower-order batsmen, while making their time on the pitch, pushed the team to a higher total than expected. The team was all out for 290.

Team India then enforced the follow-on. Sri Lanka came out to bat in the second innings. Once again, the top and middle-order batsmen failed. This time, the team lost 6 wickets for 218 runs. It seemed the team would not even cross 300, but something different happened here too. The team declared at 402 for 9, and the match ended in a draw.