The way the third Test at Pallekela is heading, it's just a matter of time before Virat Kohli's India pocket the series 3-0 unless of course, there is a miracle. And if India manage to whitewash the Sri Lankans in the series, it will the first time ever that they will be doing so on a foreign soil (in series involving a minimum of three games) in its 85-year history of playing Tests.
India have whitewashed opponents in 4 home series so far
India have whitewashed opponents in a Test series only four times so far and all the instances have happened at home. It's first-ever complete sweep came against England in 1993 when Mohammad Azharuddin's side thrashed Graham Gooch's team 3-0. The next such result happened the same year when Azhar led India to annihilate Arjuna Ranatunga's Sri Lanka 3-0, winning all three games by series margin.
Also read: Kohli has a golden opportunity to match Azhar's 3-0 thrashing of Sri Lanka in 1994
The third such feat came in 2013 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the skipper on that occasion. India thumped Michael Clarke's Australia 4-0 and one of those four victories was a series victory.
Kohli will touch Azhar if India whitewash Lanka in the current series
The final whitewash happened last year when Ken Williamson's New Zealand were beaten by huge margins in all three games of the series played in September-October in 2016. Kohli was the captain on that occasion as well.
Overall, India's record in whitewashing series is second best to those of Australia, England and Pakistan. Australia, for instance, have whitewashed opponents (in series featuring a minimum of three games) 22 times since 1920 while England have done it 13 times. Arch-rivals Pakistan have done it five times while the West Indies, thrice.
India will touch Pakistan if they pocket the third Test versus Lanka. South Africa and Sri Lanka have also whitewashed opponents in Tests four times. Bangladesh did it once against Zimbabwe in 2014.
India had won 3 games in a series vs NZ in 1968 but fell short of a whitewash
India had won three games during their 1968 tour of New Zealand under the captaincy of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi but it was a four-game series and the hosts had won one game.
On two occasions, India defeated opponents in all matches of an away series and they were 2-0 victories against Bangladesh in 2004 and Zimbabwe in 2005.
