There is an English phrase: credit must be given where credit is due. And after what happened on Day 4 of the Colombo Test, Gautam Gambhir deserves plenty of credit.
Gambhir has faced a lot of criticism. Even on the fourth day, questions were raised over some of his decisions, while Shubman Gill also came under criticism.
However, the very decision for which Gambhir was being criticised is now looking like a masterstroke. In fact, there were not one but two tactical calls that helped India take control of the match.
Even rain, which looked capable of helping Sri Lanka escape with a draw, may now not be enough to stop India from completing a historic Test series clean sweep in Sri Lanka.
Gautam Gambhir Masterstroke: The Follow-On Decision
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 290 in their first innings, giving India a huge 213-run lead.
At that stage, Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill had a big decision to make: should India enforce the follow-on or bat again?
India decided to enforce the follow-on.
Initially, the decision appeared risky. Sri Lanka responded strongly in their second innings, and the Indian fans started getting nervous.
Questions were raised over why India had asked Sri Lanka to bat again on the fourth day instead of batting themselves and setting a target.
At one stage, Sri Lanka had lost only three wickets and were just four runs away from wiping out the first-innings deficit. Dhananjaya de Silva then became the fourth wicket to fall.
Until that point, Sri Lanka looked to be in a strong position.
However, enforcing the follow-on was not necessarily a poor decision. The possibility of rain was always there, and that made time extremely important for India.
The fourth day’s play was eventually shortened by rain, with around 23 overs lost. That only highlighted why India wanted to keep Sri Lanka batting rather than spend more time building another big total themselves.
With Sri Lanka batting again immediately, India had the opportunity to take 10 wickets and then know exactly what was required in the final innings.
If India have to chase on Day 5, they will have a clear equation in front of them — how many runs they need and approximately how much playing time is available.
That is why the follow-on decision could prove to be Gambhir’s first masterstroke.
Short-Pitched Bowling Changed Sri Lanka’s Approach
Gambhir’s second tactical move came when Sri Lanka appeared to be taking control of their second innings.
Instead of panicking when the Sri Lankan batters were scoring freely, India first looked to stop the flow of runs and build pressure.
The plan was simple: use short-pitched bowling and test the Sri Lankan batters’ patience.
Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna continued from the two ends, with India regularly using the short ball. The idea was to make Sri Lanka uncomfortable and force them into playing attacking shots.
The strategy eventually worked.
Kamindu Mendis’ wicket against Prasidh Krishna opened the door for India. After that, the other Sri Lankan batters became much more defensive against the short ball.
The runs started drying up.
That was important because Sri Lanka had previously been scoring at a good rate. Once India controlled the scoring, the pressure started shifting back onto the batting side.
Sri Lanka went into a shell, and wickets followed.
India Did Not Panic Under Pressure
This was perhaps the most impressive part of India’s approach.
When Sri Lanka were scoring quickly and looked to be in a commanding position, India did not abandon their plans.
Siraj and Prasidh kept bowling long spells, while the short-ball strategy continued to test the Sri Lankan batters.
The plan was not just about taking a wicket with every delivery. India first wanted to control the scoring rate, create pressure and then wait for Sri Lanka to make a mistake.
That patience paid off.
Sri Lanka, who at one stage looked capable of putting India under serious pressure, ended the rain-hit day at 229 for six, leading by only 16 runs.
The situation of the match had completely changed.
Can Rain Still Save Sri Lanka?
Rain remains India’s biggest concern heading into the final day.
However, India’s position is much better now. Sri Lanka have only a small lead and four wickets remaining.
The lower order may still resist with a defensive approach and consume some valuable time, but India will know that a couple of early wickets on Day 5 can put them in complete control.
Even if rain takes away an hour or two, India should still have a realistic opportunity to finish Sri Lanka’s innings and chase the remaining runs.
That is where the follow-on decision becomes even more important.
Had India batted again on Day 4, valuable overs could have been lost without knowing how much time rain would take out of the game. Instead, India are now much closer to completing the job.
Gambhir’s Two Tactical Calls Have Put India in Control
Gautam Gambhir’s masterstroke of enforcing the follow-on, followed by India’s short-pitched bowling strategy when Sri Lanka were attacking, has put the visitors in a strong position.
Both decisions had an element of risk.
However, India stayed patient when Sri Lanka fought back and did not press the panic button. They slowed the scoring rate, created pressure and eventually found the wickets they needed.
India are now within touching distance of winning the Colombo Test and completing a 2-0 series clean sweep.
A victory would also strengthen India’s position in the World Test Championship race.
Rain can still have its say on the final day, but after Gambhir’s two tactical calls on Day 4, India have given themselves an excellent chance of completing the job in Colombo.