Failure to make 2-0 sweep leaves Gill & Co. with a WTC mountain to climb

It’s with mixed feelings that Shubman Gill will reflect on the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, which concluded on Thursday, 27 August. While his men nullified the so-called spin threat in testing conditions to win the series, there is a growing feeling that they left the job half done after failing to complete the anticipated 2-0 sweep.

The hosts deserve full credit for the way they kept the Indian bowlers at bay after following on in Colombo to draw the second Test, but the result leaves Gill & Co. rooted in fifth position in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, with a mountain to climb if they are to make it to the 2027 final.

Their next assignment is a two-Test series in the challenging conditions of New Zealand in November, followed by a full five-Test series against Australia at home — giving them just seven Tests in this cycle against two of their toughest opponents. An all-win record in those matches, which looks improbable at the moment, can earn them percentage points in the region of 70-plus and put them in pole position for the final.

“Obviously, not the result that we wanted in this match,” a candid Gill told BCCI.tv on Thursday. “After day two, we hoped that it was going to be a win for us, and then Sri Lanka batted the way that they did for these three days. Sometimes you’ve got to learn from the opposition as well, and credit to them for the way that they played,” he reflected.

The young captain, however, was effusive in his praise for top-order batter Devdutt Padikkal and left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, hailing their mindset and skill sets in conditions where patience was the key.

“For us, a lot of positives in the series. All the youngsters doing well. So, that’s very pleasing to see. We speak about once a batter is set, he should make the most of it. And Devdutt (Padikkal) showed that. The way he batted in the series was a treat to watch. (It) truly tells the mindset of a player,” he said.

Man of the Series Devdutt, who walked into the playing eleven by default following Sai Sudarshan’s injury, didn’t put a foot wrong, amassing 328 runs in the two-match series at an average of 109.33, including two hundreds.

Another leading performer was young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who bagged 16 wickets in the series, including a 10-wicket haul in India’s win in Galle.

Lauding him as a likely leader of India’s spin attack in the future, Gill said: “He’s (Manav Suthar) 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.”

“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’s going to create those chances and get us wickets, and hopefully he keeps doing that,” the captain added.