After a week of intense preparation, Team India have left Colombo for Galle, where they will play the opening Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka from August 15. This will be an important series for Team India as they look to overturn their recent run of poor form in the longest format and get back in contention to reach the final of the World Test Championship 2025-27

The Indian team departed Colombo after what was effectively a full-fledged preparation camp. Gautam Gambhir and his coaching staff ensured that the players had every possible opportunity to acclimatise to Sri Lankan conditions before moving to Galle. Alongwith the team, chief selector Ajit Agarkar has also travelled

India’s preparation in Colombo included two extended practice sessions, a three-day warm-up game and a match-simulation session, with the management leaving very little to chance ahead of the first Test.

Perhaps the biggest indication of Gambhir’s approach came during the final session in Colombo.

Rather than moving to a fresh practice surface, the Indian team returned to the same centre wicket at the NCC Ground where they had played their three-day warm-up game. The idea was simple – give the batters a genuine feel of how a Test pitch could behave on the fourth day.

After three days of cricket, the surface had begun to break up. There were visible rough patches, particularly around the areas where the spinners were landing the ball.

India’s batters were then asked to experience those conditions first-hand. This was not just another net session. It was a simulation of what they could potentially encounter deep into a Test match.

The Indian batters followed a sequence close to the expected playing order. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were the first to bat in the centre. They were followed by Devdutt Padikkal and Shubman Gill. Then came Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant, before Ravindra Jadeja and Sarfaraz Khan took over.

The sequence allowed the batters to experience the surface at different stages and against different combinations of bowlers.

All four spinners in India’s squad were involved. Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain bowled on the worn surface, repeatedly targeting the rough areas.

Auqib Nabi was the only Indian pacer involved initially, bowling with a semi-old ball to replicate the conditions that could exist during a Test innings. The Indian net bowlers were introduced later, adding another layer to the simulation.

The batters found the conditions challenging, with the deteriorating surface making shot selection and footwork increasingly important.

If there was one batter who stood out during the match-simulation session, it was Rishabh Pant. Batting on a deteriorating surface against spin was never going to be easy, but Pant turned the session into a showcase of his ability to attack even challenging conditions.

The left-hander hit at least 15 sixes during his extended stint at the crease. And the most remarkable sequence came towards the end of his innings. Of the last nine balls Pant faced, he hit seven sixes.

He began by hitting five consecutive sixes across all parts of the ground, taking on the spinners. He then defended the next two deliveries before launching the final two balls he faced out of the park.

It was an extraordinary display of calculated aggression on a surface where other batters had struggled to score freely.

What made the session even more interesting was the interaction between Pant and Gautam Gambhir. Before Pant’s big hitting, Gambhir was seen working closely with him on his sweep shots, particularly on how to get closer to the ball and reach the delivery from a better position.

Rishabh Pant appeared to take those inputs on board and later unleashed his natural attacking game.

As Pant walked back after completing his session, Gambhir was waiting for him and patted him on the back, acknowledging the impressive display. It was perhaps the perfect snapshot of what India have been trying to achieve in Colombo- technical preparation first, followed by the freedom to express themselves when the opportunity arrives.

What India have done over the last week has looked less like a traditional pre-series preparation and more like a dedicated Test camp. The team arrived in Colombo well ahead of the series. They trained extensively, played a three-day warm-up game and conducted match-simulation drills.

And even after the warm-up match, the management went back to the same surface to recreate fourth-day conditions.

The objective has been clear: to expose the players to as many situations as possible before the real examination begins.

The pitch curator at the NCC Ground also provided an interesting insight into what India could expect in Galle. According to him, the pitch in Galle is expected to turn considerably more than what India experienced in Colombo. That makes the extensive work against spin even more significant.

There will be no major break for the Indian team after arriving in Galle. The visitors are expected to train again on August 12 and August 13, with an optional practice session scheduled for August 14, a day before the opening Test.

The first Test begins in Galle on August 15. By the time India walk out for the first Test, they will have spent considerable time adapting to Sri Lankan conditions.

From warm-ups and fielding drills to long net sessions, a three-day warm-up match and finally a fourth-day pitch simulation, Gautam Gambhir’s message has been clear throughout the camp.

After they reach Galle, Team India have announced that there will be no practice and no press conference.