Shubman Gill on India vs Sri Lanka Test: Captain Sets Sights on WTC Final, Highlights Need for 6-7 Wins

Speaking at the press conference, Gill said, "I'm very comfortable with my role, and I think the progress we've made over the past year has been very pleasing from my perspective, and I think we're taking the right steps in the right direction."

Gill further added, "Obviously, the main goal is to play in the World Test Championship final, which is next year. We have about nine Test matches, and I think we need to win six or seven of them to have a good chance of qualifying. So, in that respect, I think this is a very important series for us, and we've done the right preparations before the series."

Unlike previous tours, the Indian team arrived in Sri Lanka early this time. The team also participated in a three-day warm-up match against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI. Gill said, "It's never easy for players to adapt to the conditions, and I think most of the players in this team need some time to adjust to the conditions. It's not as if most of the players have played a lot of matches or have a lot of experience, so the extra time to prepare definitely proves helpful."

Despite the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, captain Gill expressed confidence in the team's fast bowling attack. He particularly praised Prasidh Krishna. The Indian captain said, "Gurnur Brar is a great bowler because he can get good pace and bounce even with the old ball, but Prasidh Krishna has been bowling well recently, as we saw in the warm-up match. That's why it's difficult to make a decision. Prasidh has been in the best form of his career."

Gill further said, "Bumrah is not in the team, but I think this is a great opportunity for other bowlers to step up and make their mark in the series. To take wickets, you have to try different things. You have to create opportunities, especially on the first and second days. The wicket may not offer much help. How can you create pressure in such a situation? How can you prevent the game from getting too far out of your hands? To do this, different types of creative fielding are necessary."

Captain Shubman Gill also praised Devdutt Padikkal, who scored a century in the warm-up match. He said, "Devdutt has been here before with India A and has performed well. Devdutt has all the skills and ability required to be successful in this format. On such open grounds, wind sometimes plays a crucial role."

Gill further said, "As a batsman, even in team meetings, we talk about whether the wind is in our favour or against us if we have to play aggressively against spinners. How can we use that situation to our advantage, rather than trying to go against it? Perhaps this is the only difference between playing in Sri Lanka and India. In India, most grounds are enclosed (enclosed) with stands. In open grounds, wind plays a big role."