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India captain Shubman Gill has made it clear that the World Test Championship final remains the team’s biggest target after their convincing 165-run win over Sri Lanka in the first Test at Galle.
The victory gave India a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and came on a significant occasion, with the Galle Test marking India’s 600th match in the longest format.
Manav Suthar was at the centre of India’s win. Playing only his second Test, the young left-arm spinner picked up 10 wickets in the match and played a key role in bowling Sri Lanka out for 206 on the fifth day.
Gill was pleased with the way his side handled the pressure, particularly with rain threatening to interrupt the game.
India were bowled out for 193 in their second innings after choosing to attack and set Sri Lanka a target of 372. Gill, however, said the approach was deliberate given the uncertainty over how much play would be possible on the final two days.
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Sri Lanka started the final day on 84/4 and needed 288 more runs for an unlikely victory. They managed to survive for a while, but India’s bowlers eventually wrapped things up for 206.
Suthar took six wickets in the second innings to complete a 10-wicket match haul. His final wicket also came just minutes before heavy rain arrived at Galle, meaning India managed to finish the match before the weather could cause another interruption.
Gill was particularly impressed by what he saw from the young spinner and believes Suthar could have a long career with India.
The win is also an important boost for India after their recent struggles in Test cricket, particularly on spin-friendly conditions. Gill believes the result can provide confidence as India continue their WTC campaign.
“The WTC Final is the ultimate goal. Test wins don’t come easy and this one is delightful,” Gill said.