After eight sessions of play in the warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI at Colombo’s Nondescripts Cricket Club, India had found answers to most of their questions. Gurnoor Brar impressed, Devdutt Padikkal strengthened his case at No. 3, and the spinners enjoyed a rigorous workout. One significant question, however, remained unanswered. It was addressed in the final session, with India chasing 207 in 45 overs for victory, as Shubman Gill came to the middle with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
His return was, therefore, less about the 44 runs he made than what the innings said about his readiness for the first Test in Galle on Saturday. Gill had a batting stint in the nets when India were bowling in the second innings, and there were few signs of discomfort during his stay in the middle in India’s chase. He looked assured and unencumbered. He defended, left and rotated strike, while his movement into shots remained fluent.
There were some Gill highlights. He caressed Vishwa Fernando through cover, punched Lahiru Kumara through cover point and produced a fine on-drive in the fifth over off Fernando. He stayed balanced in defence, got behind the line and was comfortable moving forward and back against both seam and spin.
The Sri Lankan Cricket XI bowlers also tested him. In the second over, Gill was struck in front by a full delivery and survived a close lbw appeal. Later, he handled deliveries that came back into him and those that held their line outside off without showing any reluctance to play them. He used his feet confidently against spin, coming down the pitch and working the ball into the leg side.
Strain-free
His 44 came from 54 balls, with seven fours, before Kesara Nuwantha had him caught. But the score mattered less than the manner in which he struck those. There was no visible grimace, no repeated examination of the finger and no restriction in his shot-making or movement.
That was what India would have wanted from the innings. Gill did not need to make a score in a 45-over chase; he needed to show that he could bat naturally and without inhibition. For much of his stay, he did exactly that.
Jaiswal responded to his first-innings duck, producing 61 off 46 balls before retiring hurt. The innings was less about the number of boundaries he struck than the manner of his response to the earlier dismissal.
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The left-hander was positive from the outset without looking rushed. He attacked anything wide, drove confidently through cover and point, and handled the short ball better than he had in the first innings. His upper-cut off Lahiru Kumara was well judged, while he repeatedly used his stride and high backlift to put away fuller deliveries.
Jaiswal was aggressive against spin. He cleared his front leg and swept a flat six over midwicket off Ramesh Mendis, then brought up his fifty with another slog sweep off Nuwantha. He retired hurt with India’s score 100/0.
Sturdy Pant
Rishabh Pant, who, like Jaiswal, had fallen cheaply for two runs in the first innings, made the most of his promotion to number three, occupying the crease instead of playing in his flamboyant style.
The left-hander took 22 balls to get off the mark, hitting Nuwantha for a six as he resisted the urge to take on the spinners, unlike in the first innings.
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Pant looked set to take India home, but fell while trying to clear the long-on boundary for 28. Ravindra Jadeja, along with Manav Suthar, took India towards the target before the former retired hurt.
Just when the match looked like petering towards a draw, Mohammed Siraj produced a blistering late cameo, smashing Nuwantha for three consecutive sixes in the last over to help India cross the target.
Earlier, India, like Sri Lanka Cricket XI, declared their first innings overnight, handing the hosts a six-run lead. It offered Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna a second chance to find their rhythm. The contrast with Day 1, when both pacers leaked runs with the new ball, was stark.
Siraj repeatedly hit the channel, generated movement and finished with 1/25 in eight overs, including three maidens, while Prasidh was tighter and claimed Pasindu Sooriyabandara’s wicket, ending with 1/35. Gurnoor Brar again impressed with his bounce and seam, taking two wickets, including that of captain Sonal Dinusha, who edged one to Dhruv Jurel with the ball climbing on the wicketkeeper.
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Jadeja found turn and bounce, taking Anjala Bandara at slip before stumping Nipun Dhananjaya. Auqib Nabi, bowling for the first time, offered control and variation but went wicketless for 27 in five overs.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka Cricket XI 363/8 decl. and 200/5 decl. (Nishan Fernando 63, Nipun Dhananjaya 46; Ravindra Jadeja 2/33, Gurnoor Brar 2/37) lost to India 357/6 decl. and 214/4 in 45 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 61 not out, Shubman Gill 44; Keshara Nuwantha 2/57) by six wickets.
