India’s Test captain Shubman Gill has said that after his team’s resounding 165-run win against Sri Lanka in Galle, he has his sights firmly set on the World Test Championship final.
Gifted left-arm spinner
Manav Suthar gave India temporary relief from their red-ball troubles, claiming 10 wickets in the game as they completed a 165-run demolition of Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle on Wednesday.
The visitors now lead the two-match series 1-0 and it became all the more special as it was India’s 600th Test.
“Very satisfying win for us. We were in a comfortable position, but weren’t sure if the match would go on (because of the weather), but the team responded well. (On if the second innings batting performance concerns him) Not really,” Gill said while speaking to the host broadcasters.
“We wanted to get around 400 in the third innings. The wicket wasn’t easy to score runs at will, so we were looking to play more aggressively. Were unsure of how many overs we would be able to bowl on days four and five,” Gill added.
Once Suthar got his 10th scalp of the Test, Gill must have heaved a sigh of relief as there was a heavy downpour within five minutes after the end of the match.
Beginning the final day at 84/4 and needing another 288 runs to pull off an improbable chase, Sri Lanka delayed the inevitable for a session and a half before folding for 206, undone by the guile of Suthar.
“He has been bowling magnificently. Looks like a very promising guy and someone who can play for India for a long time,” Gill said of Suthar.
This win at a spin-friendly venue like Galle will give India a massive confidence boost after they struggled against New Zealand and South Africa on similar pitches at home.
“The WTC Final is the ultimate goal. Test wins don’t come easy and this one is delightful,” Gill said.
