Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara was gracious in defeat after his side was heavily beaten in the three Test series against India when he admitted India completely outplayed his team, but criticized the International Cricket Council’s inability to implement the Umpire Referral System after the Indian board rejected the move.

"I feel 2-0 is a realistic scoreline considering the way the Indians played and the way we played, especially in the last two Test matches. But we are a better side than what the scoreline says," Sangakkara, who hit a fighting hundred in the second innings said.

"We were out batted and out bowled, mostly out bowled I feel. We created chances right along, but catching at crucial times let us down. We were never able to continuously put pressure on the Indian batsmen. They were always ahead of the game, but Dilshan, Mahela, Prasanna, Thilan and Angelo batted well and tried everything they could, but it was not good enough. You’ve got to be realistic about it and say, yes, we were outplayed," Sangakkara said.

"This series is probably the best advertisement for having the Review System when decisions cost us over 500 runs and a lot of wickets. You’ve got to accept the fact that we were out bowled and outplayed, but not to have the Review System when every other side in the world is using the Review System and when the ICC said yes, all sides will be playing with the Review System, it becomes an extra handicap and it cost us quite a huge amount of runs in this Test and the last Test," the Sri Lankan captain said when he was asked about the absence of the Review System. Four decisions went against the Sri Lankans in the third Test, where the in form Tillekreatne Dilshan was wrongly given out in both innings.

He also blamed the ICC for not giving Sri Lanka its due recognition in Test cricket. Reportedly, the game’s governing body was trying to split Test cricket into two tiers where powerful nations such as India, England, Australia and South Africa were to play in the top tier. Sri Lanka, the number two ranked team in the world at that time, were to play in the lower tier.

"A two-tier Test match system was discussed and we were number two at that time and we were not included in the discussions. Those were the things that were going on.

"Ultimately, it is a question of money. Different countries can earn by playing against each other. That’s always going to be a major factor for the ICC as well. Unless of course, only four countries play Test cricket."

The Sri Lankan, meanwhile, praised Virender Sehwag’s batting, who missed his third triple hundred by just seven runs in the third Test here. "In this Test match, it was Sehwag’s batting and Dhoni’s hundred that were influential in putting the final nail in the coffin. Sehwag’s 293 was definitely the major turning point because we had almost 400 runs on the board and if they had got a lead of less than 50 runs, it would have been a very interesting game, especially going into the fifth day."