Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his concern over Rishabh Pant's shot selection, stating that while his attacking style brings unforgettable moments, the wicketkeeper-batter needs to learn when to rein himself in and prioritise the team's needs over his natural instinct to attack.
India set Sri Lanka a daunting target of 372 before reducing the hosts to 84-4 on day four of the opening Test in Galle on Tuesday, remaining firmly on course for victory.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak lauded the team's productive warm-up victory against Sri Lanka, highlighting strong performances from both batters and bowlers, including Shubman Gill's quick 44 and Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 142, which set a positive tone for the upcoming two-match Test series.
Rishabh Pant's dismissal for 39 against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle has once again brought his shot selection under intense scrutiny, with fans and former cricketers criticising his inability to convert starts into bigger scores.
Manav Suthar's 10-wicket haul against Sri Lanka showcased his skill, meticulous preparation and growing maturity, marking him as India's potential next spin leader.
India finished Day 2 on 460/9 after rain restricted play to just two sessions in the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Sunday.
India put themselves course for a big win in the series opener after reducing Sri Lanka to 84/4 at stumps on day four of the first Test in Galle on Tuesday.
India is poised to secure its first overseas Test series victory in three years as they face Sri Lanka in the second and final match, with skipper Shubman Gill and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal under pressure to deliver substantial knocks.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir's standing in red-ball cricket faces a crucial test as the team embarks on a two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal blasted a quickfire 61 from 46 balls before Mohammed Siraj smashed a match-winning 27 not out from 13 balls to power India to a six-wicket victory against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in the warm-up match.
India have time and again showed at the junior level the gulf that exists between them and other teams
