Cheteshwar Pujara believes Shubman Gill could have been more aggressive in the field as Sri Lanka’s lower order frustrated India and secured a draw in Colombo. India walked away from the second Test in Colombo with a 1-0 series victory, but the result also sparked questions over their tactics on the final day. With Sri Lanka fighting to save the Test, India needed just four wickets. Instead, the hosts produced a remarkable rearguard effort, finishing on 429/9 after 154 overs.
Shubman Gill was a little defensive- Cheteshwar Pujara
Speaking during a discussion on Cricinfo, Cheteshwar Pujara acknowledged that Shubman Gill is still relatively inexperienced as an international captain but felt the situation demanded a more attacking approach.
“He [Gill] was a little defensive. He hasn’t led the team in a lot of games, so he is a little inexperienced. For someone like Keshara, you need to have that silly point and gully when either Manav Suthar or Ravindra Jadeja is bowling,” said Cheteshwar Pujara.
Pujara’s criticism centred on India’s inability to create enough pressure on Keshara Nuwantha, who played an important supporting role in Sri Lanka’s resistance. With Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja operating with spin, Pujara suggested India should have surrounded the bat with close catchers rather than allowing the lower-order batter to settle. The point was simple: when India were already ahead in the match, the priority should have been to attack the stumps and force Sri Lanka’s lower order into making a mistake.
Sri Lanka’s Lower Order Changes the Game
Sri Lanka’s resistance was led by Sonal Dinusha, who produced one of the finest performances of the match. After scoring a century in the first innings, Sonal Dinusha remained unbeaten on 133 off 264 balls in the second innings. His patience became the foundation of Sri Lanka’s fightback.
At the other end, Keshara Nuwantha contributed 46 off 150 balls, forming a crucial 112-run seventh-wicket partnership with Dinusha. That partnership consumed valuable time and forced India to keep bowling under pressure. With Sri Lanka focused primarily on survival, India’s bowlers struggled to manufacture the breakthroughs they needed.
Cheteshwar Pujara Questions the Follow-On Call
The discussion around India’s tactics does not end with field placements. The decision to enforce the follow-on has also attracted considerable debate. Cheteshwar Pujara admitted that he personally would have taken a different approach, believing India might have had a better chance of winning if they had batted again.
“I genuinely feel that if India hadn’t enforced the follow-on, they had a better chance of winning the game,” said Cheteshwar Pujara.
However, Pujara stopped short of heavily criticising India’s decision. India had already lost significant playing time to rain during the Test, making the weather an important factor in Shubman Gill’s calculations. Enforcing the follow-on gave India the maximum possible time to take 10 wickets.
“But the weather wasn’t looking good, so it’s tough to criticize the follow-on decision,” he added.
Experience Will Be Key for Gill
For Shubman Gill, the Colombo Test offered another valuable lesson in Test captaincy. India had dominated large parts of the match, but Sri Lanka’s resistance exposed how quickly the momentum can shift when a lower order settles in. Pujara believes Shubman Gill can learn from such situations as he gains more experience leading India.
“I am sure he will learn from his mistakes,” said Cheteshwar Pujara.
Ultimately, Sonal Dinusha was named Player of the Match after scoring centuries in both innings, while Sri Lanka secured a memorable draw. India still claimed the series 1-0, but the Colombo Test highlighted an important challenge for Shubman Gill: turning dominance into victory when the opposition refuses to surrender.
Also Read: SL vs IND: Cheteshwar Pujara Showers Praise On Sonal Dinusha