In his analysis of the game, Mohammad Kaif expressed doubts about Shubman Gill‘s leadership in the closing moments of the Test. After leading the team in the West Indies in October 2025, when India won the two-match series 2-0, and in a one-time match against Afghanistan in June 2026, Gill became India’s first Test captain during the England tour in June–August 2025.
But it has been difficult to accept the 0-2 whitewash against South Africa in the middle. Due to an injury, the Punjab batter, who had captained the team in the first Test, was unable to play in the second, which was led by Rishabh Pant, the vice captain at the time.
India defeated Sri Lanka 1-0 in the series, although after the second Test, which was drawn at Colombo from August 23–27, 2026, the team went home disappointed. After declaring at 503 for 9 in 138 overs and bowling out Sri Lanka for 290 in their first innings, India had controlled the opening four days and forced Sri Lanka to follow. But because to Dinusha’s second century in the second innings, Sri Lanka managed to avert a whitewash and escape with a draw.
Gill’s inexperienced team support
Throughout the game, especially in the last innings when India tried to force a result, Kaif saw that Gill regularly conferred with his bowlers.
The former India batsman pointed identified tactical irregularities in India’s tactics against Sri Lanka’s lower-order batters, particularly in the last moments when the side seemed unsure of its plan.
Gill’s brief experience as a four-day captain
Gill had little domestic four-day cricket experience based on his captaincy record before the Colombo Test. His rise to the captaincy had not followed the conventional path through India’s domestic setup, despite his significant white-ball credentials and increasing exposure in international Test matches.
Kaif described the traditional transition strategy for new captains, highlighting the importance of older player mentoring in the formative years of leadership. He proposed that before taking on full responsibility, captains may improve their abilities and comprehension of the position through incremental handovers.
