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Indian skipper Shubman Gill reflected on the draw against Sri Lanka at Colombo, saying that sometimes the team needs to learn from their opponents' as well and expressed hope that Team India will have a great outing during two-match Test series in New Zealand later this year.
Stubborn resistance from the tailenders and sweeps from run machine Sonal Dinusha swept away the clean sweep from Team India as both teams had to shake hands following a draw at Colombo. Even though India have won the series 1-0, their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) point percentage has taken a hit, and they are placed fifth in the standings ahead of the NZ Tests starting from November 19 onwards. Speaking in a video by BCCI, Gill said, "A lot of learnings in this series. I think we played decently well. Obviously not the result that we wanted in this match. After day two, we hoped that it was going to be a win for us, and then Sri Lanka batting the way that they did for these three days. Sometimes you have got to learn from the opposition as well and give credit to them for the way that they played, and hopefully we have a good series in New Zealand." He also hailed the 'Player of the Series' Devdutt Padikkal, who smashed two statement centuries, taking a giant leap in sealing the number three spot for India in Tests ahead of an injured Sai Sudharsan. "We speak about once a batsman is set, he should make the most of it, and Devdutt showed that. Very positive signs for us, and the way he batted in the series was a treat to watch, you know, truly tells the mindset of a player, and that is a great positive sign for us," said Gill about Paddikal. Paddikal was India's top run-getter with 328 runs in three innings at an average of 109.33, with two centuries and a best score of 117. Now in four Tests and six innings, he has made 418 runs at an average of 69.66, including two centuries and a fifty. Gill also hailed the leading wicket-taker of the series, spinner Manav Suthar, who took a ten-fer at Galle, saying that he looks like someone who could lead the spin attack for India for a long time and hailed his ability to make chances, something which he truly did for his team throughout the series. "He has been magnificent for us, and I think he is going to be someone who is going to be leading the spin attack for India for a very long time. And the way he bowled in this match and even in the first match was a treat to watch. Every time he comes on to bowl, it feels like he is going to create those chances and going to get us wickets, and hopefully he keeps doing that," said the skipper. Suthar finished the series with 16 wickets in two matches at an average of 21.06, with a four-fer and six-fer in the first Test, giving him his first career ten-fer. His best bowling figures were 6/55. Coming to the match, India opted to bat first, with centuries from Padikkal (117 in 193 balls, with 12 fours), Dhruv Jurel (115* in 177 balls, with nine fours and two sixes) and half-centuries from Rishabh Pant (63 in 89 balls, with six fours and two sixes) and skipper Gill (50 in 108 balls, with six fours) taking India to 503/9, with Asitha Fernando taking four-fer. In their first innings, SL was skittled out for 290, with Dinusha's second century (103 in 162 balls, with eight fours and three sixes) and a fine 80 from Pasindu Sooriyabandara (in 133 balls, with nine fours) standing out. Prasidh Krishna and Suthar were among the wickets for India with three each. During the follow-on, India had SL down for 218/6, but a 112-run stand between Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha (46 in 150 balls, with four boundaries) pushed Sri Lanka towards a sizeable lead. Dinusha (133* in 264 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) reached his third ton of the series, with the resistance from lower order, who soaked in deliveries to support him. SL ended at 429/9, drawing the Test. (ANI)
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