India captain Gill sees positives in drawn Sri Lanka test

India captain Shubman Gill acknowledged disappointment following the drawn second test against Sri Lanka, despite his team securing a 1-0 series victory. The squad had aimed for a whitewash after dominating the first four days in Colombo and forcing Sri Lanka to follow on. However, Sonal Dinusha's remarkable rearguard action on the final day rescued a thrilling draw for the hosts.

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I wouldn't say the draw stings like a defeat but ... the way they drew the match from where we were, credit to them.

This outcome represented a missed opportunity for India to leapfrog Bangladesh into fourth place in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings and build a crucial buffer before upcoming series against New Zealand and Australia. "It's disappointing obviously. We hoped for a win but we also have to give credit to where credit is due," Gill told reporters, acknowledging the hosts' resilience.

Currently fifth in the WTC table, India must win six of their remaining seven tests to control their destiny in the race for next year's WTC final. The team faces a challenging schedule, with a two-test series in New Zealand in November followed by a five-match contest against WTC leaders Australia in early next year.

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It's disappointing obviously. We hoped for a win but we also have to give credit to where credit is due.

Despite the drawn match, India can draw encouragement from the performances of several emerging players. Spinner Manav Suthar concluded his debut test series as the leading wicket-taker, while Devdutt Padikkal's twin centuries suggest he could be a long-term solution at number three. Dhruv Jurel also added solidity to the middle order and provided an additional wicketkeeping option.

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A lot of positives from the series.

"A lot of positives from the series," Gill stated when asked about key takeaways. "We've played good cricket on this series. In fact, of the 10 days of test cricket, we dominated them on all days except on the final day." He added, "It's not easy winning overseas. They are also here to play and these are their home conditions. Sometimes we take things for granted, but I think it was overall a good series for us."

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We've played good cricket on this series. In fact, of the 10 days of test cricket, we dominated them on all days except on the final day.