Mahela Jayawardene (86) scored his 31st Test half-century, and his sixth versus India. He now has scored the most half-centuries by a Sri Lankan versus India in Tests. He overtook Arjuna Ranatunga and Roy Dias, who have five each.

Harbhajan Singh (6/102) picked up his 22nd five wicket haul in Test cricket. It was his second such against Sri Lanka. His figures of 6/102 are now the best by a visiting bowler at this ground. The previous best being Shane Warne’s 5/43.

Harbhajan Singh’s (6/102) performance is also now the best by an Indian bowler on Sri Lankan soil, bettering Venkatesh Prasad’s 2/72 at Kandy 2001-02.

When he caught Prasanna Jayawardene, V.V.S Laxman brought up his 100th Test catch. He is the fourth Indian and the 26th overall to reach this milestone. The Indians who have 100 or more catches are Dravid (175), Gavaskar (108) & Azharuddin (105).

By scoring 251 runs in the match, Virender Sehwag now has the most runs in a match by an Indian on Sri Lankan soil. He bettered Sourav Ganguly’s match total of 192 (147+45) at Colombo (SSC) in 1997-98. The list below gives details of visiting players who have scored 250 or more runs in a match on Sri Lankan soil.

MOST RUNS IN A MATCH IN LANKA BY VISITING BATSMEN

Brian Lara, WI 351 (221+130) Colombo (SSC) 2001-02

Stephen Fleming, NZ 343 (274*+69*) Colombo (PSS) 2002-03

Stephen Fleming NZ 252 (78+174*) Colombo (RPS) 1997-98

Virender Sehwag Ind 251 (201*+50) Galle 2008

The Indian openers, Sehwag and Gambhir, came up with opening stands of 167 and 90 in each innings. It was the second occasion in Tests that Indian openers had come up with a century and a 90 opening stand. The previous occasion was coincidentally also in Sri Lanka. At the Colombo SSC in August 2001 S.S. Das and S. Ramesh put on 97 in the first innings and 107 in the second.

Virender Sehwag became the seventh Indian player to score a double century and a 50 in the same match. For the record, Rahul Dravid has achieved this feat thrice and Sunil Gavaskar twice.

Gautam Gambhir (56+74, i.e. 130 runs) scored a 50 in each innings of the Test for the first time. However, the most runs Gambhir has scored in a match is 139 versus Bangladesh at Chittagong in 2004-05.

When on 6 Rahul Dravid completed 6000 runs in "away" matches. He became only the second cricketer to achieve this feat after Sachin Tendulkar.