CHENNAI: Long before the Indian team arrived in the Island Nation for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, there was, and still is, one question hovering over them. Can Shubman Gill and his band of batters handle Sri Lankan spinners at their den at a time when everything is at stake for India in the World Test Championship race?
The challenge in front of them, as they gear up for the first Test in Galle on Saturday, is not just taking 20 wickets, but putting enough runs on the board for their bowlers in subcontinental conditions. It is an unfamiliar question for anyone who has seen Indian cricket in this century. For all their faults, they have had batters, world-class ones, who dominated all kinds of bowlers, especially in Asian conditions.
The last two years, however, have made them question their identity in these conditions. They have lost five of the eight home Tests since October 2024 and at the core of it is one issue — Indian batter's ability to negate spinners on turning tracks. Mitchell Santner, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Ajaz Patel, you pick a name and they have tormented this young batting line-up that is still in the process of making the place their own. To understand that this is not just a phase or the team in transition, all one has to look at how India have struggled to find a No 3 or No 6 who can nail the spot in two years' time.
Now, as they go in with changes in both those spots, if Devdutt Padikkal and Sarfaraz Khan play, Sri Lanka will be very much aware of where to hit India the hardest. Sri Lanka coach Gary Kirsten while remaining diplomatic in his answer, said that they have done their homework and will do their best to use that information. "I think we have done as much homework as we can to understand what are the potential areas that we can exploit in the Indian team as they would be doing of us. And we will use that information potentially to our advantage. The game needs to unfold. And then once it unfolds and we see what we are required to do, we will then kind of plan accordingly," Kirsten said in a select media interaction facilitated by Sony Sports Network.
And the biggest threat, from India's point of view, would be Prabath Jayasuriya. In the 11 matches he has played at Galle, the slow left-arm spinner has nine fifers and two ten-wicket hauls at an average of 26.62. He averages 24.7 against right-handers at home and it goes up to 35.9 against lefties and that is something India would want to exploit with Yasashvi Jaiswal, Padikkal, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja coming good.
However, Kirsten backs Jayasuriya to bring his best to the table. "He's a world-class bowler, and he's had great success at home. We believe that every bowler can make a contribution in a game. But it's great to have him in the mix. But his focus will be on doing what he can do to help the team win," said the Sri Lankan coach.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel felt having ten days before the Test match has allowed the batters to get used to the conditions in Sri Lanka and adapt accordingly. "I think the guys have learned a lot about their games individually over the last couple of months and that's one of the reasons why we've come out here 10 days earlier to give them the best opportunity to prepare," he told reporters on Thursday. "Now it is all about figuring out how they're gonna score on the surface here," Morkel said, referring to the Galle surface.
While only time will tell whether they could adapt and deliver against spin, Gill and Co will be hoping to put an end to their struggles and bring back batting glory. For, they need their batters to step up now more than ever.
Watch Sri Lanka vs. India 1st Test Day 1 on August 15, 2026, from 10 AM IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony LIV.