Test Cricket Won Today: Shubman Gill Praises Sri Lanka Fightback After India’s 2nd Test Ends in Draw

India captain Shubman Gill praised Sri Lanka’s determined fightback after the second Test in Colombo ended in a draw on Thursday, preventing India from completing a series clean sweep.

India had controlled much of the match and appeared to be in a strong position heading into the final day. Sri Lanka, however, produced a remarkable rearguard effort led by Sonal Dinusha, who struck another century to frustrate the Indian bowling attack.

Sri Lanka eventually declared their second innings at 429/9, setting India a target of 216 runs. With the match running out of time, the two sides ultimately settled for a draw.

Gill defends follow-on decision

India had enforced the follow-on with Sri Lanka trailing by just 16 runs after losing six wickets in their second innings. Gill said the decision was influenced by the weather conditions and insisted that India had made the best call available at the time.

“We fielded for about 150 overs; we did everything that we can,” Gill said during the post-match presentation.

The India captain acknowledged that decisions can look different in hindsight but said the team had acted according to the circumstances during the match.

“You take the best decision you can in the moment, and something didn’t go our way,” Gill added.

Despite India missing out on victory, Gill described the contest as an excellent Test match.

“But it was a brilliant game and I think Test cricket won today,” he said.

Sri Lanka deny India a clean sweep

The draw meant India finished the series with a 1-0 lead, having won the first Test. Sri Lanka's resistance on the final day ensured India could not secure another victory.

Dinusha played a central role in the turnaround, producing another century as Sri Lanka recovered from a difficult position. His batting effort helped the hosts survive India's sustained pressure and force a draw.

India had spent around 150 overs in the field, but the visitors were unable to break through Sri Lanka's final resistance before time ran out.

India remain fifth in World Test Championship standings

The result also affected India's position in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings.

India received four points from the drawn match, leaving them at No. 5 in the points table. The top two teams at the end of the ongoing WTC cycle will qualify for next year's final.

The result therefore represented a missed opportunity for India to collect a full points haul and improve their position in the race for the championship final.

Gill highlights positives from the tour

Despite the draw, Gill said India could take several positives from the series.

Devdutt Padikkal was among the standout performers, scoring 328 runs across three innings. Manav Suthar also impressed with the ball, taking 16 wickets in two Tests.

Gill also praised KL Rahul and Prasidh, highlighting the contributions made by the Indian players throughout the series.

“A lot of positives for us, even learning from the opposition,” Gill said, pointing to Sri Lanka's ability to recover despite being under immense pressure.

He added that Padikkal had been “brilliant”, while Rahul also performed strongly and Suthar bowled impressively.

Gill further praised Prasidh for his efforts across both innings, particularly the way the fast bowler consistently challenged the Sri Lankan batters.

For India, the 1-0 series victory provides several positives, while Sri Lanka's dramatic resistance in Colombo ensured the final Test ended with a memorable draw.