Kotak: Sri Lanka XI warm-up at Nondescripts gave India better Test preparation
India's three-day warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI at Colombo's Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground on Sunday ended with India chasing 207 to win by six wickets, and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said the fixture offered more valuable preparation than routine training ahead of the two-match Test series.
In the practice match Sri Lanka XI first posted 363 for eight declared, and India declared their first innings on 357 for six. Devdutt Padikkal remained unbeaten on 142, Ravindra Jadeja scored 63 and Manav Suthar made 41 in India's initial innings.
Kotak made his comments in a video shared by the BCCI and said: "I think it was very good, very productive, because if you practice four more days, I don't think it'll be as good as the practice match." He added: "Bowlers bowled with good intensity, the batters batted and we actually tried that everyone, even the bowlers, get to bat. All the bowlers got enough loading that is required. So, it has been very good."
He singled out specific contributions from squad members, saying: "I would say Gurnoor and Siraj hitting sixes, but I think Devdutt batted really well. The way Gurnoor also bowled, and our fast bowlers put a lot of effort on the wicket where there was nothing," he said. "It was all in all a very good practice match. But for me, Devdutt's innings (142 not out) was also very good."
India made a strong start in the chase as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill put on exactly 105 for the opening wicket. Jaiswal, dismissed for a duck in India's first innings, responded with a brisk 61 off 46 balls and retired after reaching his half-century; Gill returned after missing the first two days with a finger injury and scored 44 before being dismissed by spinner Keshara Nuwantha.
Dhruv Jurel added 17 and Rishabh Pant made 28 as India briefly slipped to 155 for three, but Mohammed Siraj produced an explosive finish, hitting 32 off 15 balls including three successive sixes, to take India to 214 for four in 45 overs and complete the chase.
Sri Lanka XI declared their second innings on 200 for six in 45 overs, with Nishan Madushka top-scoring with 63 off 73 balls, Nipun Dhananjaya making 46 and Anjala Bandara 35. Jadeja and Gurnoor Brar claimed two wickets each, while Siraj and Prasidh Krishna took one apiece.
The warm-up fixture provided India with match practice ahead of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka; the opening Test is scheduled to begin in Galle on August 15.