India and Sri Lanka played out a draw in the second Test in Colombo. With this result, India won the two-match Test series 1-0. Shubman Gill's team had won the first Test in Galle by 165 runs.
After winning the series, Gill spoke about India's chances of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final. India are currently fifth in the WTC points table.
Could India have done anything different to win the Test?
Gill said he did not think India could have done much more to get a result in Colombo. 'Honestly, nothing. We fielded for almost 250 overs over three days and gave everything we had. They played really well,' Gill said.
He also praised Sri Lanka's batters for their strong show. 'I think their batters played really well. They had a lot of skill and a bit of luck as well. So, I don't think we could have done anything differently,' Gill added.
How does Gill rate India's 1-0 series win?
Gill said there were many good things for India during the series. He also said the team learned from Sri Lanka's fightback. 'We learned a lot from the opposition as well. The way they handled the pressure and came back was great to watch,' he said.
Gill also praised several Indian players. He said Devdutt Padikkal batted very well, while KL Rahul also had a good series. Gill also praised Manav Suthar for his bowling. He said the two fast bowlers, Manav and Prasidh Krishna, worked very hard in both innings.
What did Gill say about India's young players?
Gill was happy with the way young players like Manav Suthar, Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel have performed. 'I am very excited. I think this is a very exciting time for us,' Gill said. He added that the team needs to keep working hard and stay consistent both on and off the field.
What does Gill like about Manav Suthar?
Gill had special praise for Suthar. He said he likes almost everything about the young spinner's bowling.
He praised Suthar's control and the way he releases the ball. Gill also spoke about how the ball comes out of Suthar's wrist and fingers.
'I really enjoy watching him bowl. I think he will be very important for us in the coming years,' Gill said.
Can India reach the WTC final?
Gill believes India still have a good chance of reaching the WTC final. India will tour New Zealand in November. After that, the team will also have a home series. 'We will always keep believing and hopefully we will reach the final,' Gill said. He also said the New Zealand series will be important for India's WTC campaign.
World Test Championship 2025-27 points table
| Team | M | W | L | D | Deduction | Pts | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 80 |
| South Africa | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 75 |
| New Zealand | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 72.22 |
| Bangladesh | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 55.56 |
| India | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 51.52 |
| Sri Lanka | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 33.33 |
| England | 14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 50 | 29.76 |
| West Indies | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 30 | 20.83 |
| Pakistan | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 19.05 |
Was it the right decision to enforce the follow-on?
India decided to enforce the follow-on in the Colombo Test. Gill said the decision was made after considering the weather and the possibility of losing time on the final day.
He said the team was not sure if the full fifth day would be played because of the weather.
Gill admitted that such decisions can be discussed later, but the players have to make the best choice at that moment. 'Sometimes things go in your favour and sometimes they don't. That's cricket,' he said.
The Test ended in a draw, but Gill felt that the match showed the value of Test cricket. India returned home with a 1-0 series win and will now look ahead to their next WTC matches.