India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak believes the three-day warm-up game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI provided the team with more valuable preparation than routine training sessions ahead of the two-match Test series.
India chased down 207 in their practice match at Colombo’s Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground on Sunday, winning by six wickets as several players got valuable time in the middle.
“I think it was very good, very productive, because if you practice four more days, I don’t think it’ll be as good as the practice match,” Kotak said in a video shared by the BCCI.
“Bowlers bowled with good intensity, the batters batted and we actually tried that everyone, even the bowlers, get to bat. All the bowlers got enough loading that is required. So, it has been very good.”
Kotak also praised the contributions of Devdutt Padikkal, Gurnoor Brar and Mohammed Siraj during the practice game.
“I would say Gurnoor and Siraj hitting sixes, but I think Devdutt batted really well. The way Gurnoor also bowled, and our fast bowlers put a lot of effort on the wicket where there was nothing,” he said.
“It was all in all a very good practice match. But for me, Devdutt’s innings (142 not out) was also very good.”
Padikkal’s unbeaten 142 was one of the major positives for India in the first innings, while Ravindra Jadeja scored 63 and Manav Suthar made 41. India declared on 357 for six after Sri Lanka XI had posted 363 for eight declared.
India then made a strong start to their chase of 207, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill putting on exactly 105 for the opening wicket.
Jaiswal, who was dismissed for a duck in India’s first innings, responded with a brisk 61 off 46 balls. He retired after reaching his half-century to give other members of the squad valuable time in the middle.
Gill, meanwhile, returned to action after missing the first two days of the fixture with a finger injury. He scored 44 before being dismissed by spinner Keshara Nuwantha.
Dhruv Jurel added 17, while Rishabh Pant made 28 as India briefly slipped to 155 for three. The target, however, remained well within reach. Siraj then produced an explosive finish, smashing 32 off just 15 balls, including three successive sixes, to take India to 214 for four in 45 overs.
Earlier, Sri Lanka XI declared their second innings on 200 for six in 45 overs. Nishan Madushka top-scored with 63 off 73 balls, while Nipun Dhananjaya made 46 and Anjala Bandara scored 35.
Jadeja and Gurnoor claimed two wickets each, while Siraj and Prasidh Krishna took one apiece.
The warm-up fixture gave India useful match practice ahead of their two-Test series against Sri Lanka, with the opening Test scheduled to begin in Galle on August 15.
Gill’s return, Jaiswal’s brisk half-century, Padikkal’s unbeaten century and Siraj’s late hitting provided India with several positives from the three-day game.
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