After bowling out Sri Lanka for 290 in the first innings, 13 runs shy of the follow-on mark, India decided to make the hosts bat again. It seemed a correct call until India reduced the hosts to 229 for six at the end of the fourth day. We were also anticipating weather on Day 4 or 5 would be possible or not.
India skipper Shubman Gill said the decision to impose follow-on against Sri Lanka in the second Test did not “backfire” as it was taken after considering the local weather and the team’s interest. But the home side batted out the whole of the final day to walk away with a draw. “I would not say it (follow-on) backfired.
We wanted to take that chance,” Gill said in the post-match press conference here on Thursday.
India skipper Shubman Gill said the decision to impose follow-on against Sri Lanka in the second Test did not “backfire” as it was taken after considering the local weather and the team’s interest.
But does this draw feel like a defeat considering India were dominating from Day 1 to Day 4? India scored over 500 runs in their lone innings in this Test, and then bowled out the hosts for 290 in the first innings before rattling their top-order in the second innings. But obviously if you make 500 runs in the first innings, and took two early wickets then we only had to take 18 wickets in three days. However, Gill found some positive takeaways from the series, which India won 1-0.
Like I said, when you play in India or any other turning track, usually all three modes of dismissals are in the game — caught behind or at slip, LBW and bowled. So, we had to change our plans,” he said. But we have to also give them credit for their character,” he said.
Gill felt it was the decision that suited the team’s situation and demands. “They played really well. Some things didn’t go our way. There were a lot of LBW calls and they did not work for us. “I wouldn’t say it felt like a loss. Usually in that situation you feel that you will win the match. “So in the situation we were in, the way they drew, credit to them, it was disappointing, obviously. We hoped for a win.
