TimesofIndia.com in Galle: India's road to the World Test Championship (WTC) final enters the home stretch from the historic city of Galle, and captain Shubman Gill has an uphill task over the next few months. The WTC final is mathematically still within India's reach but would need a performance for the ages in the next few months, starting with the series opener in Galle on August 15.
The scenario is simple: win seven out of the next nine Test matches to secure the final berth. Even though the immediate challenge involves Galle, crosswinds and frequent rain interruptions, Gill and Co. have their eyes locked on the target, the "main goal".
"The main goal is to play the WTC final, which is next year. And we have got about nine Tests and I think we have to win around six or seven to be able to have a good chance at qualifying. So in terms of that, I think it's a very important series for us," said Gill at the pre-match press conference.
Gill is taking giant strides forward as a leader, which is reflected in how the team has prepared for the series. The captain has vocally criticised the packed scheduling and how it has robbed the side of ideal preparation before an important series in the past. Sri Lanka, on that front, has come as a breath of fresh air, as the team has been camped in Colombo since August 4, where they trained hard at the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) Ground, played a warm-up fixture and squeezed in two quality sessions in Galle.
"If we do have an opportunity and if the scheduling allows us to have at least a week or 10 days before the Test match starts, it obviously helps with the preparation. Even last year we had quite a busy schedule in terms of, you know, travelling, playing in England and playing the Asia Cup, then playing the Test match in India, going to Australia.
"And then playing the Test match within four days after returning from Australia. So it's never easy for the players to be able to adapt. And most of the players in this team, I think, require a bit of time to be able to adjust to the conditions. And it's not like a lot of the players have a lot of matches or a lot of experience under their belts. So the extra time in preparation definitely helps," added Gill.
Every player in the squad relies on high-volume preparation. The optional nets remained busy on the eve of the match as the likes of Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar and others applied the finishing touches hours before taking the field in very hot and humid conditions. India's squad, hit by injury concerns, is far from the first choice, but there is no dearth of quality in the 15 ***** embled by the men's senior selection committee.
Chairman Ajit Agarkar has been with the side in Galle, and there have been long chats involving the selector, coach and captain. For a team that has relied heavily on all-rounders to fill crucial slots, the first Test will be a rare occasion featuring
The scenario is simple: win seven out of the next nine Test matches to secure the final berth. Even though the immediate challenge involves Galle, crosswinds and frequent rain interruptions, Gill and Co. have their eyes locked on the target, the "main goal".
"The main goal is to play the WTC final, which is next year. And we have got about nine Tests and I think we have to win around six or seven to be able to have a good chance at qualifying. So in terms of that, I think it's a very important series for us," said Gill at the pre-match press conference.
Gill is taking giant strides forward as a leader, which is reflected in how the team has prepared for the series. The captain has vocally criticised the packed scheduling and how it has robbed the side of ideal preparation before an important series in the past. Sri Lanka, on that front, has come as a breath of fresh air, as the team has been camped in Colombo since August 4, where they trained hard at the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) Ground, played a warm-up fixture and squeezed in two quality sessions in Galle.
"If we do have an opportunity and if the scheduling allows us to have at least a week or 10 days before the Test match starts, it obviously helps with the preparation. Even last year we had quite a busy schedule in terms of, you know, travelling, playing in England and playing the Asia Cup, then playing the Test match in India, going to Australia.
"And then playing the Test match within four days after returning from Australia. So it's never easy for the players to be able to adapt. And most of the players in this team, I think, require a bit of time to be able to adjust to the conditions. And it's not like a lot of the players have a lot of matches or a lot of experience under their belts. So the extra time in preparation definitely helps," added Gill.
Every player in the squad relies on high-volume preparation. The optional nets remained busy on the eve of the match as the likes of Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar and others applied the finishing touches hours before taking the field in very hot and humid conditions. India's squad, hit by injury concerns, is far from the first choice, but there is no dearth of quality in the 15 ***** embled by the men's senior selection committee.
Chairman Ajit Agarkar has been with the side in Galle, and there have been long chats involving the selector, coach and captain. For a team that has relied heavily on all-rounders to fill crucial slots, the first Test will be a rare occasion featuring
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