Gavaskar flags India bowling concern after Sri Lanka draw in Colombo

Sunil Gavaskar has raised concerns about the variety in India’s bowling attack after Sri Lanka saved the second Test in Colombo on August 27. India were unable to force a win despite bowling 243.4 overs across both innings, with Sri Lanka’s lower order providing firm resistance on the final day.

Sri Lanka had been made to follow on after their first innings of 290, but Sonal Dinusha’s unbeaten 133 in the second innings ensured the match ended in a draw. India had already won the opening Test and claimed the two-match series 1-0.

“If they couldn’t dismiss the lower order batting on a pitch where there was some turn, it does make Indian cricket fans a bit nervous. There was a sameness to the bowling. On a pitch that got slower as the match progressed, the fast bowlers struggled to get the ball up towards the batters’ shoulders. Here perhaps the extra pace and height of Gurnoor Brar may well have come in handy,” Gavaskar wrote in his column on Mid-Day.

What did Gavaskar say about the debutant off-spinner?

Gavaskar also turned his attention to debutant off-spinner Saransh Jain, who featured in the second Test. He noted that the bowler showed effort but lacked the tools to consistently challenge batters at the highest level, particularly on a surface that offered some assistance. The absence of Kuldeep Yadav, a left-arm wrist spinner who missed the match due to illness, was identified as a significant factor in India’s inability to wrap up the tail. Gavaskar noted that a wrist spinner of Kuldeep’s quality can often remove lower-order batters quickly.

“The debutant off-spinner looked an honest trier with little variety to trouble batters at this level. Sure, he could have been nervous considering that he was making his debut, yet there was no deception through the air and an over-reliance on the pitch for assistance. Kuldeep Yadav’s absence also did not help, as a good wrist spinner can get the lower-order batters out in a jiffy most of the time,” Gavaskar added.

How did Dinusha’s performance shape the series outcome?

Sonal Dinusha was the standout performer of the two-match series for Sri Lanka. He scored 420 runs at an average of 140 across the series, which included three centuries. In the second Test alone, he faced a combined 426 balls across both innings, scoring 103 in the first innings before his unbeaten 133 in the second. India’s inability to dismiss him in the second innings, despite having enforced the follow-on, ultimately cost them a series whitewash. The pitch slowed considerably on the final day, which reduced the effectiveness of the pace attack. Gavaskar also pointed to the absence of Jasprit Bumrah as a factor in India’s struggles on the final day.

“A fast bowler with a good yorker is also terrific to have in the side when the opposition batters are looking good. So Bumrah was badly missed, especially when the batters thwarted India on the final day of the second Test,” Gavaskar further wrote.

On the batting side, Devdutt Padikkal was named Player of the Series after scoring 328 runs, including centuries in both matches, which helped India secure the series win despite the draw in the second Test.

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