Buoyed by a big win in the first Test match, the Indian team will take the field from Sunday in the second and final Test cricket match against Sri Lanka starting here, aiming to continue its winning streak and clinch its first Test series on foreign soil after three years. Meanwhile, captain Shubman Gill and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal will be eyeing a big score.
India last won a Test series on foreign soil in July 2023, which was against West Indies. Since then, India had to face defeat against Australia, while they drew series against South Africa and England on their home soil. In between, India also had to concede defeat against New Zealand and South Africa on their own home soil.
But now, with a fine 165-run victory in the first Test held in Galle, India has managed to make a comeback to some extent, which will reassure captain Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir. If India can clean sweep this series 2-0, then there is a possibility of moving up to fourth place in the World Test Championship rankings with 57.58 percent points. But this will only depend on Bangladesh’s defeat in the second Test against Australia. Bangladesh, which registered a historic victory in the first Test in Darwin, is currently in fourth place.
In this match, India will expect a big innings from Gill and Jaiswal. Gill is currently in good form; he has scored two centuries in his last 6 innings. However, he put up a poor performance in the last match. Especially, he has been facing some problems against left-arm spinners. In both innings of the Galle Test, he was dismissed by left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. Apart from this, his performance as captain has remained quite impressive. Since taking over captaincy, Gill has scored 1100 runs at an average of more than 73 in 10 Test matches. He will be fully committed to winning his first Test series on foreign soil as captain.
Jaiswal’s problem is somewhat more serious. Since scoring a century against West Indies in New Delhi last year, this opener has been able to score only one half-century in his last 8 innings. It has become a matter of concern that Jaiswal is getting out repeatedly while trying to play cut or chip shots against fast bowling. After getting run out in the first innings of the Galle Test, he got out in the same manner in the second innings as well. The left-handed batsman spent a lot of time in net practice at the SSC on Friday with the aim of improving this aspect of his game. India’s fast bowling coach Morne Morkel and fast bowlers tried to lure Jaiswal to play cut or chip shots by bowling outside the off-stump line. But the 24-year-old player did not play any shot to such balls and let them pass by the stumps. If he can maintain such patience in the match as well, then there is a possibility of playing a big innings.
Meanwhile, all eyes will also be on whether Kuldeep Yadav will be able to find a place in the final eleven or not. Despite getting considerable help from the pitch in the first match, he was able to take only one wicket in 25 overs across both innings.
