TimesofIndia.com in Galle: India’s road to the World Test Championship (WTC) final enters the home stretch from the historic city of Galle, and captain Shubman Gill has an uphill task over the next few months. The WTC final is mathematically still within India’s reach but would need a performance for the ages in the next few months, starting with the series opener in Galle on August 15.The scenario is simple: win seven out of the next nine Test matches to secure the final berth. Even though the immediate challenge involves Galle, crosswinds and frequent rain interruptions, Gill and Co. have their eyes locked on the target, the “main goal”.“The main goal is to play the WTC final, which is next year. And we have got about nine Tests and I think we have to win around six or seven to be able to have a good chance at qualifying. So in terms of that, I think it’s a very important series for us,” said Gill at the pre-match press conference.Gill is taking giant strides forward as a leader, which is reflected in how the team has prepared for the series. The captain has vocally criticised the packed scheduling and how it has robbed the side of ideal preparation before an important series in the past. Sri Lanka, on that front, has come as a breath of fresh air, as the team has been camped in Colombo since August 4, where they trained hard at the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) Ground, played a warm-up fixture and squeezed in two quality sessions in Galle.“If we do have an opportunity and if the scheduling allows us to have at least a week or 10 days before the Test match starts, it obviously helps with the preparation. Even last year we had quite a busy schedule in terms of, you know, travelling, playing in England and playing the Asia Cup, then playing the Test match in India, going to Australia.“And then playing the Test match within four days after returning from Australia. So it’s never easy for the players to be able to adapt. And most of the players in this team, I think, require a bit of time to be able to adjust to the conditions. And it’s not like a lot of the players have a lot of matches or a lot of experience under their belts. So the extra time in preparation definitely helps,” added Gill.Every player in the squad relies on high-volume preparation. The optional nets remained busy on the eve of the match as the likes of Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar and others applied the finishing touches hours before taking the field in very hot and humid conditions. India’s squad, hit by injury concerns, is far from the first choice, but there is no dearth of quality in the 15 assembled by the men’s senior selection committee.Chairman Ajit Agarkar has been with the side in Galle, and there have been long chats involving the selector, coach and captain. For a team that has relied heavily on all-rounders to fill crucial slots, the first Test will be a rare occasion featuring more specialist players. India have been averse to compromising batting depth, even at the cost of a quality bowler, but Manav Suthar gives them the option of crucial runs and magic with the ball.“He’s got the ability with the bat. We know he can bat, obviously. Of course, you need a bit of experience, you need some belief and confidence. And that will only come once you’re out there, you’re playing, you score some runs. And hopefully he does that in the series. He’s someone with great skill in bowling. And he’s got the potential to be able to be a really good number 8 batsman as well,” revealed Gill, all but confirming the playing XI.Both Gill and Gambhir see a lot of value in meaningful contributions from the lower order, and the captain asserts that it could seriously affect momentum and frustrate the opposition. This was the prime reason Kuldeep Yadav never made the playing XI for the five Tests in England and has often been benched for limited-overs fixtures too. In Suthar, the team is trying to plug that spot, especially in conditions where they have the option of fielding three spinners.It will be hard work for the two fast bowlers in testing conditions. While Gill didn’t confirm the bowler who would partner Mohammed Siraj, he dropped enough hints that it will be difficult to look beyond Prasidh Krishna for this fixture. Additionally, Brar had a heavy workout on the eve of the match, which is not usual, especially when you are expected to undergo the grind in a few hours.“They both are very skilled bowlers and they bowled really well in the practice match. We have seen how good Gurnoor is with the old ball when nothing else is happening. You need that bit of extra pace and extra bounce. He’s obviously very tall as well. But I think Prasidh recently has been bowling the best that I have ever seen him bowl. In red ball and also in white ball. So it would be a very tough decision for us to pick just one,” said Gill.With a fort in the backdrop, Gill will beam with pride when he walks out for the toss wearing the captain’s blazer in the team’s 600th Test on August 15. The spin, turn, nature of the pitch and the crosswinds can take a backseat for the moment the coin is flipped in the air because once it comes down, the business will begin.Galle will decide how much work is needed to reach The Oval.
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