TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: The third and final day of India’s warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground (NCC) in Colombo had a special spectator. Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten was among those watching the proceedings, quietly strolling along the ropes before the small travelling media contingent recognised the familiar face.Immediately, smartphones came out, and the South African obliged before he bumped into Gurnoor Brar, who was taking a hydration break in the deep. A short chat followed before he walked up to left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, and then it was throwdown specialist Raghu’s turn to speak to ‘Guru Gary’. Both Brar and Suthar were net bowlers when the former India coach served as the batting coach and mentor for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2022 to 2024.Between chats, Kirsten kept an eye on the action as India’s bowlers continued and occasionally looked at the giant scoreboard. The laps around the ground didn’t last long before he went inside the NCC’s main pavilion cafe.
Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten at the NCC. (Photo: Sahil Malhotra)
On the final day of the warm-up match, the turnout was better than on the first two days. The Indian team will travel to Galle having ticked most of their boxes before the series opener on August 15.
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It has been hard work for India since reaching Colombo on August 4. The visitors had two full-intensity practice sessions before every player got a decent hit during the three-day warm-up starting August 7. There was a concern about Shubman Gill’s availability due to an impact injury on the ring finger of his right hand. After his absence from the first two days, the marathon net session and his 44-run knock on Day 3 helped India breathe easy on the final day, and later four sixes from Mohammed Siraj helped India win the match by six wickets.Gill’s trademark drives returned, and the ease with which he operated wiped away doubts, if any, about his availability for the series opener. The Indian captain struck seven gorgeous boundaries, laced with exquisite shots, during his 54-ball stay in the middle.
India captain Shubman Gill bats in the second innings.
The management decided to give an opportunity to players who hadn’t scored runs in the first innings, and the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel got a decent amount of deliveries under their belt.Coming into bat after Jaiswal retired hurt for 61, Rishabh Pant looked very solid from the start. Unlike his usual belligerent self, the swashbuckling left-hander didn’t worry after failing to score a run off the first 21 deliveries, and it was business as usual when he struck a six off the 22nd delivery he faced to get off the mark. The No. 5 is an important position for the team, and Pant holds a key role.Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel gave him company in the final few overs. He is set to find a place as a specialist batter in the two fixtures. The right-handed batter got out cheaply again. But Jurel had scored a brilliant century and a half-century when leading India A against Sri Lanka A last month, which might be enough for him to get a place in the playing XI in the first Test.
Gurnoor Brar picked up two wickets in the second innings. (BCCI | X)
Before the batters checked the boxes, India’s bowlers got a nice outing, with the Indian pacers Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar bowling at full throttle. Aquib Nabi, who didn’t get to bowl in the first innings, too got an opportunity to roll his arm over. However, it was surprising to see no Kuldeep Yadav, even when the other tweakers, Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain, got some overs under their belt.The last few days at the NCC in Colombo offered a comprehensive view of everything. A team captain was injured, old super fans came to greet the team they love, the support staff worked hard to ensure optimum preparation, and there was a surprise visit by the host nation’s head coach.There were a handful of fans to see the biggest names in world cricket, but there was no chaos or pushing. Just a gentle raising of the hand was enough for the local supporters to establish their presence. Some got lucky with initials on their jerseys and miniature bats, but most were happy to sip some chilled beers while watching cricket.
Handful of spectators turned out on Day 3 to watch the match. (Photo: Sahil Malhotra)
The setting will not be this casual when the action moves to Galle. India could well have Sai Sudharsan’s replacement, and the game face will be well and truly on with crucial World Test Championship (WTC) points at stake. Guru Gary, too, would refer to the notes he would have made after watching the Indian players in action on Day 3.Brief ScoresSri Lanka Cricket XI: 363 for 8 declared & 200 for 6 declared (Nishan Fernando 63, Nipun Dhananjaya 46; Gurnoor Brar 2/37, Ravindra Jadeja 2/33) India: 357 for 6 declared & 214 for 4 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 61, Shubman Gill 44, Mohammed Siraj 32 not out; Keshara Nuwantha 2/57)
