Shubman Gill on enforcing follow-on in 2nd Test: ‘I won’t say it backfired’

India captain Shubman Gill defended his decision to enforce the follow-on against Sri Lanka in the second Test, despite the match ending in a draw. Gill explained that the decision was made with the rain in mind and rejected suggestions that it had backfired, stating that they fielded for about 250 overs while Sri Lanka bowled around 130 overs, with nearly 70 overs lost due to rain.

Gill emphasized that they took the chance because the weather situation was unpredictable, and they wanted to maximize their chances of winning the match. He praised his players for their intense efforts throughout the marathon, noting that they maintained their intensity despite the challenging conditions. Gill also highlighted the performance of left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who was the leading wicket-taker in the series.

Despite the draw, Gill expressed confidence that India still had a good chance of qualifying for the World Test Championship final, provided they perform well in the upcoming New Zealand series.