Murali Kartik: Sri Lanka Series a Test of Shubman Gill's Captaincy and Fitness

"Heavy is the head which wears the crown": Murali Kartik says Sri Lanka series crucial for Shubman Gill as India eye WTC revival

New Delhi, August 12

Gill, who took over the reins from Rohit Sharma as India's Test captain in May last year, will lead the side in a two-match series against Sri Lanka beginning August 15 in Galle. India are fifth in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 standings with four wins, four defeats and a draw from nine matches.

Speaking with ANI during a virtual interaction, Kartik said he was not concerned about Gill's batting ability but stressed that the captain's fitness would be crucial.

"I'm not worried about Shubman Gill's batting at all, because he's a class act, and he'll find a way to get runs. The most important thing is, you want him to be fit, because he's been plagued by lots of injuries, lots of niggles. He starts a series, and then he misses a few games, and you just don't want that. Even in the warm-up game, he didn't start," said the former India spinner.

Gill missed the first two days of India's warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI after sustaining a blow to his right ring finger during a training session. He returned on the final day and scored a brisk 44 off 54 balls as India completed a 207-run chase.

India spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule has confirmed that Gill is "very much ready" for the Galle Test.

Kartik, however, underlined the importance of Gill being physically fit throughout the series, particularly with the pressure that comes with leading India.

"As a sportsman, I can say that you want to feel 100% with your body. Otherwise, if you have niggles and some part of you is aching, you're never able to give your 100%. So, from that point of view, I would want him to be fit and hale and hearty," said Kartik.

Gill's leadership will come under scrutiny in Sri Lanka, particularly with India looking to strengthen their position in the WTC standings. Kartik said the responsibility of captaining India brings enormous pressure, with every decision likely to be closely analysed.

"From a point of view of a skipper, you're as good as your last game, you're as good as your last series, and with you having that crown on your head. I think heavy is the head which wears the crown, especially in Indian cricket. So, for that, Shubman Gil will always be questioned, whatever he do, whatever he does, whatever he's gonna do, and the most important thing is, there are so many people who'll dissect his every move, so it's never easy. There's a lot of pressure on him, and there's a lot of pressure on this series as well, because it's crucial for India's chances in the WTC," said Kartik.

The series will be Gill's first Test assignment in Sri Lanka as captain and comes after his successful start to leadership in England. He will have a strong batting unit around him, with KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja among the experienced options in the squad.

India's 15-member squad also includes Dhruv Jurel, Devdutt Padikkal, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi and Sarfaraz Khan.

With the WTC final scheduled for June next year, India cannot afford to drop too many points in the remaining part of the cycle. The two Tests against Sri Lanka, therefore, will offer Gill an important opportunity to strengthen India's campaign in WTC (2025-27).

— ANI