New Delhi, August 10: The Indian cricket team delivered an impressive performance, securing a 6-wicket victory against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI in a three-day warm-up match. Chasing a target of 207 runs, the team achieved it within a single session. Yashasvi Jaiswal, along with captain Shubman Gill, and Mohammad Siraj, who scored 32 runs off just 15 balls, played pivotal roles in the win. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak expressed his delight over the team’s performance.
In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on their social media platform ‘X’, Sitanshu stated that the warm-up match was exceptional for the Indian team. He noted that even with four more days of practice, it wouldn’t have matched the quality of this warm-up encounter.
The batting coach highlighted that the bowlers put in their best effort during the warm-up match, while the batsmen also performed well. Sitanshu mentioned that they aimed to give everyone a chance to bat, including the bowlers. He praised the explosive batting of Siraj and Gurnoor, noting that Gurnoor scored an unbeaten 36 runs off 18 balls, hitting 2 fours and 4 sixes in the first innings. Meanwhile, Siraj remained not out in the second innings with 32 runs, aided by 1 four and 4 sixes.
However, Sitanshu Kotak identified Devdutt Padikkal’s batting as the standout performance of the warm-up match. Padikkal faced 164 balls and scored a formidable 142 runs in the first innings. The batting coach acknowledged that there was little assistance for fast bowlers on the pitch, yet the team’s pace bowlers delivered strong performances with good line and length. The first Test match of the series between India and Sri Lanka is set to begin on August 15 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. The second Test will take place on August 23 at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo.
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