Tezzbuzz Desk- The second match of the Test series between India and Sri Lanka will be played from August 23 at the historic Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground in Colombo. Team India has taken a 1-0 lead in the series by winning the first test. Now the Indian team under the captaincy of Shubman Gill has a great opportunity to win the Test series on foreign soil by defeating Sri Lanka. However, not only the performance of the players but also the decision of the toss can be very important for Team India in the Colombo Test. The statistics of recent matches at the SSC ground are pointing towards the Indian team adopting a special strategy. A total of three Test matches have been played on this ground since 2018 and in all three matches the team bowling first has won. This is the reason why if Shubman Gill wins the toss in the second test, then the option of choosing to bowl first appears strong in front of him.
The history of Test cricket on this ground is very old. Test matches are being played in SSC since 1984 and if we look at the overall record, the teams batting first have dominated here. But circumstances have changed somewhat in recent years. In the three Test matches played after 2021, only the team fielding first has won. Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh and Afghanistan by bowling first, whereas Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka when the host team batted first. In such a situation, winning the toss and bowling first could be an interesting option for the Indian team. However, in Test cricket the result is not decided only on the basis of statistics. The condition of the pitch, weather, support for the bowlers and match day conditions will also be very important. Captain Shubman Gill will have to keep all these aspects in mind at the time of toss.
India's record on the SSC ground is also a confidence boost for the team. The Indian team has played a total of 9 test matches on this ground so far. In these, it has won 3 matches, while it has faced defeat in 2 matches. There have been draws in 4 matches. That means India's overall performance on this ground has not been bad. After 2010, India has played three test matches in SSC. Of these, one match was a draw, while Team India won two matches. India played its last Test match here in 2017 and the team won that match also. In such a situation, the current Indian team has every reason to take confidence from the old record.
This match is also very important personally for Shubman Gill. Under his captaincy, India has performed well in Test cricket and now they have a chance to win their first Test series on foreign soil. If India wins in Colombo then the series against Sri Lanka will be in its name. Therefore, in the second test, every decision from the toss to the first innings is going to be important. Recent records point towards bowling first, while India's strong record in the SSC will give the team additional confidence. Now it remains to be seen what decision Shubman Gill takes after winning the toss and whether Team India is able to create history by winning the series in Colombo.