The draw in the Colombo Test has once again put the Indian team under the scanner, with questions remaining over whether they have got things right despite almost a year having passed since the transition period began. India had a chance to complete a 2-0 series sweep over Sri Lanka and strengthen their position in the World Test Championship points table, but failed to close out the game on Day 5.
Needing just four wickets to wrap up the innings and chase a small target, India managed only two breakthroughs. Sonal Dinusha then stood tall, completing a fighting century and frustrating the Indian bowlers alongside Asitha Fernando. With just an hour of play left, India’s hopes of forcing a result had disappeared. The players eventually shook hands, leaving India to settle for a 1-0 series win when they had looked well placed to make it a clean sweep.
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif felt Shubman Gill lacked enough experienced voices around him to guide India through a challenging final day in Colombo. The former India batter also pointed to Gill’s frequent interactions with the bowlers and lapses in execution as signs that the young captain was searching for answers during Sri Lanka’s determined resistance.
“Shubman Gill, somewhere in the middle, looked like he was reaching out for help. He did not have too many experienced players in his team either. KL Rahul is there, of course, as the vice-captain, Rishabh Pant is there, and Jadeja has played around 90 Test matches, but he does not really come into the leadership role. They did not have many leadership-type players in the team.”
“Many times, I saw Shubman Gill going up to the bowlers, and there were also instances when they bowled two wides down the leg side. You would think, ‘We are trying to keep Sonal away, so let’s bowl a dot ball. It is the last ball of the over, so let’s bowl it outside.’ They had planned things to that extent throughout the Test match,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif was particularly critical of India’s approach against Sonal Dinusha, saying the visitors appeared helpless at times and lacked the execution needed to force a result.
“It was something we had never really seen before. The Indian team looked so helpless at times. Against Sonal, they were trying to bowl a dot ball with the last ball of the over. So overall, I think Shubman Gill will be a little disappointed,” he added.
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Shubman took over as India’s Test captain after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the format. The selectors backed Gill for the role, having seen him lead Gujarat Titans in the IPL and Punjab in domestic cricket whenever he was away from international duty.
Kaif questions India’s captaincy transition
Kaif explained that a smoother transition requires young captains to spend time alongside experienced players, allowing them to learn the nuances of leadership before eventually taking full charge of the team.
“So, how does a transition happen? You have senior players in your team, and a new player becomes captain. He stays with the seniors for a year or two, and by spending time with them, he also learns. By the time the seniors leave, you have already captained for three or four years. You have covered all the angles and learned along the way, right?” he added.
The former batter also highlighted Gill’s limited experience as a red-ball captain, pointing out that his leadership exposure in domestic first-class cricket has been minimal despite his experience with India and in white-ball cricket.
“Shubman Gill has only captained in two Ranji Trophy matches. That is it. He does not have much four-day experience. He has white-ball experience, yes, but he has been playing more four-day and five-day matches with the Indian team. He has not really come through the ranks by captaining in the Ranji Trophy,” he concluded.