It was rather unexpected to see Gautam Gambhir walk into the press conference room ahead of the second and final Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
The Indian head coach has usually faced the media at the beginning of a series or after its conclusion, when questions about his team’s performances have often been difficult to avoid.
This time, though, Gambhir chose to break that pattern by addressing the media before the final Test, and true to his nature, he did not mince his words.
The timing was significant. India are in the middle of a major transition in Test cricket, with the departures of Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin leaving behind a sizeable void. Rohit Sharma is also no longer part of the Test setup, while Jasprit Bumrah’s absence has further forced India to explore their options in a new era.
The transition under Gambhir has hardly been smooth. India have suffered home series defeats against New Zealand and South Africa, while also failing to win series against Australia and England. Their more convincing results have largely come against teams such as Bangladesh, Afghanistan and the West Indies.
Now, with the final Test against Sri Lanka approaching, India have a chance to achieve something that has eluded them throughout Gambhir’s tenure: an overseas series win. Colombo therefore represents more than just the final stop on this tour. It offers India an opportunity to turn Gambhir’s words into a result and give his tenure its first significant overseas series triumph.
RUNS GALORE AT COLOMBO?
The SSC pitch has a reputation for being on the flatter side, with the surface often beginning to break up only around the third or fourth day. That should make for encouraging batting conditions, and both Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal will be hoping to make the most of them when India begin their final Test against Sri Lanka.
Apart from these two, almost every batter in the Indian lineup has already managed to put together a sizeable score in the series. That makes it difficult to predict who could dominate the next innings, but the ability to maintain discipline could prove just as important as shot-making.
Jaiswal was seen working specifically on deliveries around the off-stump line during training, focusing on resisting the temptation to play the cut shot that has contributed to some of his recent dismissals. It is an area Sri Lanka are likely to target again, particularly if the surface offers little assistance to the bowlers.
Gill, meanwhile, has been putting in considerable work against left-arm orthodox spin, suggesting he is well aware of the threat posed by Sri Lanka’s spinners. At some point, though, preparation has to give way to execution. Both batters will now need to take that work into the middle and get the job done.
WEATHER FORECAST
Colombo is expected to remain mostly cloudy throughout the day, with AccuWeather forecasting warm and humid conditions and temperatures reaching around 31°C. There is also a chance of rain during the early hours, which could leave some moisture around the ground before play begins.
The bigger concern, however, could come later in the day. Showers are predicted around 4 pm local time, raising the possibility of interruptions as the match progresses. With high humidity and the threat of rain, the showers could have an impact on the pitch and outfield, while also potentially bringing the weather into play as the day wears on.
SL vs IND: PREDICTED XIs
Sri Lanka have already confirmed a change at the top of the order, with uncapped Kamil Mishara set to replace Nishan Madushka for the final Test. It will be an interesting opportunity for the youngster to make an impression against an Indian attack that will be looking to put Sri Lanka under pressure early.
For India, the major selection dilemma revolves around Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm wrist-spinner has endured a difficult run of form, which could tempt India into handing Saransh Jain a chance instead. The off-spinner could also offer an interesting matchup given the number of left-handers in Sri Lanka’s batting lineup, potentially making the switch an enticing option for the visitors.
India Predicted XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill (C), Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav/Saransh Jain, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Sri Lanka Predicted XI: Kamil Mishara, Lahiru Udara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (C), Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella (WK), Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando
SL vs IND: FULL SQUADS
India have not made any changes to their squad ahead of the final game of the series. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, made two changes to their wider squad, bringing in Kamil Mishara and Sahan Arachchige in place of Ramesh Mendis and Nishan Madushka.
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sarfaraz Khan, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar
Sri Lanka: Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (C), Sahan Arachchige, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella (WK), Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Milan Priyanath Rathnayake, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando
– Ends
