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India National Cricket Team captain Shubman Gill has provided a strong indication of Manav Suthar's inclusion in the playing XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Gill also addressed the closely contested selection battle between Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar ahead of India's 600th Test match.
At the pre-match press conference, Shubman Gill spoke at length about India's plans for the opening Test, including the importance of preparation, the development of newcomers and the role he expects from the lower order. His comments have offered a clearer picture of India's likely combination for the series opener.
Shubman Gill confirms Manav Suthar's selection, addresses Prasidh Krishna vs Gurnoor Brar debate
Gill indicated that Manav Suthar is set to feature in India's XI, with the captain backing the young all-rounder to develop into a useful contributor with both bat and ball. Suthar's inclusion would give India another left-arm spin option alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.
“Manav (Suthar) has great skills in bowling and he can develop into a very good No. 8 batsman,” Gill said, as quoted by RevSportz.
The captain also acknowledged that selecting the second specialist fast bowler alongside Mohammed Siraj would not be straightforward. Both Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna have different qualities, leaving India with a difficult decision to make before the first ball in Galle.
“It would be a very tough decision to pick between Gurnoor (Brar) and Prasidh (Krishna),” Gill said.
Shubman Gill, however, highlighted what makes both pacers valuable. While Gurnoor Brar can generate bounce even with an older ball, Prasidh Krishna has impressed the captain with his recent bowling form.
“Gurnoor is excellent the way he can extract bounce with the old ball. Prasidh of late has been bowling the best I've seen him bowl,” Gill added.
“I am comfortable in my role as captain now” - Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill spoke about his evolution as India's Test captain. Having taken charge of the side, he said he now feels settled in the leadership role and has a clear target for the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.
“I am comfortable in my role as captain now. Our goal is to stay in contention for berth in World Test Championship final. We need to win 6 or 7 Tests for that so we want to make a beginning here,” Gill said, as quoted by PTI.
The India captain also stressed the value of adequate preparation before a Test series, particularly when players need to adapt to different conditions.
“If schedule allows us, it's always good to have a longer preparation time for Tests to adapt to the demands,” he said.
Gill further indicated that India are prepared to give their younger players sufficient time to establish themselves rather than making quick judgments.
“Players are going to grow on their own. We need to give time to them, some players require a bit of time,” Gill said.
“Leading my country in the 600th Test is an honour” - Shubman Gill
“Leading my country in the 600th Test is an honour and doing so on Independence Day is an even bigger honour,” Gill said.
The captain, then, stressed the importance of contributions from the lower order, particularly with the bat, while discussing the conditions in Galle. He also drew a comparison between Galle and conditions familiar to Indian players.
“Runs from the bowlers, especially in the first innings, are important,” Gill said. "Here in Galle, it's a bit similar to playing in Mumbai in terms of bounce,” he added.
Based on Shubman Gill's press conference, India are likely to go with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul at the top, followed by Devdutt Padikkal and the skipper himself.
Rishabh Pant is expected to take the wicketkeeping duties, with Dhruv Jurel in contention as a specialist batter. Jadeja and Suthar are set to provide the all-round options, while Kuldeep would add another spin threat. At the pace-bowling end, Gill's comments suggest Prasidh Krishna could get the nod alongside Mohammed Siraj, although the final call will be confirmed at the toss.
