'Nothing could have...': Shubman Gill reflects on Colombo Test draw
What's the story
Indian captain Shubman Gill believes his side left nothing on the field, and he has no regrets about his decisions in the recently concluded 2nd Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Sonal Dinusha's unbeaten 133 on Day 5 helped SL secure a draw. This was after the hosts received the follow-on. The result denied India a 2-0 series as they previously won the first Test by 165 runs in Galle.
Match
How the match panned out
Electing to bat first, India declared their innings at a massive 503/9 on Day 2. Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel scored centuries.
In reply, Sri Lanka struggled early, but Dinusha (103), Pasindu Sooriyabandara (80), and Kamindu Mendis (32) helped them recover.
Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar's combined efforts restricted SL to 290. The two shared six wickets.
Although SL stumbled after receiving the follow-on, Dinusha had other plans. He saved the match for SL, who finished at 429/9.
Tactical choices
Gill defends follow-on decision
After the match, Gill defended his decision to enforce the follow-on, saying that match decisions are made in the moment and can't be judged through hindsight.
He said, "In hindsight, you can think (about the follow-on), but you can only talk about these things in hindsight. You take the best decision you can in the moment, and something doesn't go your way."
Silver linings
Series of positives for India, says Gill
Despite not achieving a 2-0 series victory, Gill highlighted several positives from the match.
He praised players like Devdutt Padikkal, Manav Suthar, and KL Rahul for their performances.
The captain also praised his fast bowlers for their efforts throughout the series.
"I think there are a lot of positives for us," he said.
Rising star
Suthar's success story
Gill was particularly impressed with left-arm spinner Suthar, who finished as the leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets.
The captain praised Suthar's consistency and skill, calling him a "very crucial bowler" for India.
"Everything impressed me about him. How consistent he is, how he releases the ball, and how it goes off his wrist and fingers," Gill said.
Future focus
Looking ahead for Team India
Looking ahead to India's future international assignments, Gill stressed the need for consistency in preparation and performance.
He said, "It's important for us to be consistent on and off the field with our preparation and performance and how we go about things."
The captain also looked forward to the upcoming series in New Zealand and a promising home season as steps toward their goal of reaching the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final.