Disappointing draw, but credit to Sri Lanka for fightback: Shubman Gill

India captain Shubman Gill expressed disappointment over the drawn 2nd Test but credited Sri Lanka's fightback. Despite scoring 503 and enforcing a follow-on, India couldn't win. India won the two-match series 1-0.

India captain Shubman Gill said the drawn second Test against Sri Lanka was disappointing but credited the hosts for their remarkable fightback after India had put themselves in a commanding position in Colombo.

India, after scoring 503/9 declared in the first innings and enforcing the follow-on after taking a 213-run lead, were unable to complete a victory as Sri Lanka finished their second innings at 429/9. The two-match series ended 1-0 in India's favour after the visitors won the opening Test.

Speaking during the post-match press conference on Thursday, Gill said the result did not feel like a loss but admitted India expected to win after building a strong position. "I wouldn't say it hurts like a loss, but obviously, if you score 500 runs in the first innings and have them two down for eight runs at the end of Day 2, you only need to take 18 wickets in three days. In any other situation, you'd think you'd win the match. Credit to them for drawing it from the situation we had them in," Gill said.

Gill on Pitch Conditions and Bowling Challenges

The Indian skipper said Sri Lanka's batters handled the conditions well and explained that the slow nature of the pitch made it difficult for India's spinners to take wickets. "I think they played quite well; their batsmen played very well. Generally, what we felt playing on Day 3, 4 and 5 was that the modes of dismissal like LBW and bowled were completely out of the game because the ball was turning very slowly and with low bounce," he said.

Gill added that with limited wicket-taking options available, it became challenging for bowlers despite the ball turning. "As a batsman, if you know that LBW and bowled are not in play for the spinners, batting becomes easier. Unless you're playing shots and looking to score runs, it's difficult to take a wicket," he added.

Reflecting on Captaincy and Team Effort

Reflecting on his decision to enforce the follow-on, Gill said he had no regrets and backed the call made at that stage of the match. "It gets very frustrating. You start questioning whether the follow-on was the best decision. But then you have to go back to the moment and ask, 'Did I make the best decision in that moment?' Yes, I did," Gill said.

The India captain praised his players for their effort despite Sri Lanka's resistance, highlighting the workload on the bowlers and fielders in difficult conditions. "The spinners bowled around 50-60 overs on the trot. Fielding for three days in this heat is not an easy task. In terms of effort and intent, I'd say 10 out of 10," he said.

Gill added that the match provided valuable lessons for him as a Test captain and said India would continue their push for qualification in the ongoing World Test Championship. "There were a lot of learnings for me. Things won't always go as planned, but as long as we still have a chance to qualify for the WTC, we'll take it," he said.

Bowling Rotation Strategy

Gill also explained the decision to rotate spinners in shorter spells during the second Test, saying the strategy was aimed at keeping the bowling attack effective on a slow pitch. The hosts batted for 154 overs in their second innings to finish at 429/9 after being forced to follow on. Gill said long spells after extended periods of fielding can impact the effectiveness of spinners. "When you field for 250 overs, the spells automatically get shorter. We sometimes take spinners for granted, but their fingers also get tired, and you don't get the same revolutions as when you're fresh," Gill said.

The Indian skipper said the plan was to consistently rotate the three spinners and create different challenges for batters. "The idea was to use our three spinners and rotate them consistently. On a wicket like this, once a batsman is set and not looking to play shots, it's very difficult to get them out because they know the pace of the wicket," he added.

Gill said changing bowlers helped India create more opportunities, while longer spells were given to bowlers who were generating chances. "Our thinking was that if the batsman has to face different kinds of bowlers, it gives us a better chance to take wickets. If a bowler is creating chances, we do give them longer spells. But if a batsman is set and we're not creating chances, we have to keep rotating," he said.

Match Recap: Sri Lanka's Historic Draw

Coming to the match, Sri Lanka staged a remarkable comeback to force a draw against India in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Thursday, with Sonal Dinusha playing a match-saving unbeaten knock of 133. India had enforced the follow-on after taking a 213-run first-innings lead, but Sri Lanka fought back strongly to finish at 429/9 in 154 overs in their second innings. The result meant India won the two-match series 1-0 after securing a 165-run victory in the first Test.

India had posted a massive 503/9 declared in the first innings, powered by centuries from Devdutt Padikkal (117) and Dhruv Jurel (115*), while Rishabh Pant contributed with a quick 63. Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 290, with Dinusha scoring 103, giving India a commanding lead.

After being asked to follow on, Sri Lanka showed tremendous resilience. Pasindu Sooriyabandara scored 92, while Kamindu Mendis added 55 to help the hosts recover. Dinusha then anchored the innings with a brilliant unbeaten 133, batting for 264 balls to deny India victory.

Dinusha finished the series with 409 runs in four innings, including three centuries and a fifty, emerging as Sri Lanka's standout performer. For India, Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets each in the second innings, but the bowling attack could not claim the final wicket. Suthar finished the series as India's leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets, while Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando topped the hosts' bowling charts with 10 wickets.

The draw also marked a rare achievement for Sri Lanka, who recorded their biggest-ever lead after being forced to follow on in Test cricket, surpassing their previous record against England at Lord's in 2006.

Brief Scores

India: 503/9 (Devdutt Padikkal 117, Dhruv Jurel 115*, Asitha Fernando 4/106) vs Sri Lanka: 290 and 429/9 (Sonal Dinusha 133, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 92; Ravindra Jadeja 3/94). (ANI)

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