Galle: India captain Shubman Gill has set a clear target for his team as the new World Test Championship cycle gathers pace, saying India have around nine Tests left and may need to win six or seven of them to have a strong chance of reaching the WTC 2027 final.
Gill made the comments ahead of India’s first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, with the two-match series beginning on August 15. India currently occupy fifth place in the WTC standings and face a demanding road to the final, which is scheduled to be played at The Oval in June 2027.
For Gill, the immediate focus is therefore not just on winning the series against Sri Lanka but on building enough consistency across the remaining fixtures to put India in contention for another WTC final appearance.
Gill identifies six or seven wins as the target
Gill said India have approximately nine Tests remaining in the current WTC cycle and would need to win around six or seven of those matches to give themselves a good chance of qualifying.
“Obviously, the main goal is to play the World Test Championship final, which is next year. We have got about nine Tests, and I think we have to win around six or seven to have a good chance of qualifying,” Gill said ahead of the first Test.
The calculation puts considerable importance on the Sri Lanka series. India cannot afford to drop too many points if they want to move from fifth place into the qualification positions.
The WTC points table rewards teams for winning Test matches, with drawn matches also contributing points. As a result, every match remaining in India’s campaign could have a direct bearing on their qualification prospects.
Gill acknowledged the importance of the upcoming series, saying India had prepared properly and had taken the right steps leading into the contest.
India begin WTC campaign against Sri Lanka
India’s first Test against Sri Lanka is being played in Galle on August 15, followed by the second Test in Colombo from August 23.
The Galle Test carries additional historical significance for Indian cricket. It is India’s 600th Test match and the 50th Test to be played at the historic Galle International Cricket Stadium. The match is also beginning on India’s Independence Day.
The series represents an important opportunity for Gill’s side to begin the next phase of its WTC campaign strongly.
India have also made an effort to adapt to Sri Lankan conditions ahead of the Tests. Unlike some previous overseas tours where preparation time has been limited, the team arrived early and played a warm-up fixture against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo.
Gill believes the additional preparation time can make a difference, particularly because several players in the squad do not have extensive experience of playing in these conditions.
Early preparation could help India
Adapting to overseas conditions is one of the major challenges facing Test teams.
Sri Lankan conditions can be particularly demanding for visiting batters and bowlers because of the heat, humidity, spin-friendly surfaces and tactical influence of factors such as wind.
Gill said the additional preparation time had been useful because players need time to adjust to conditions that are different from those they regularly experience in India.
The captain also pointed to the importance of using local conditions intelligently rather than simply trying to impose a standard approach.
At Galle, wind can influence how batters and bowlers approach different phases of the game. Gill said the open nature of the ground means wind can have a much greater impact than at many Indian venues, where stands surround the playing area.
Gill backs India’s pace attack despite Bumrah absence
India will enter the series without Jasprit Bumrah, creating an important challenge for the team’s pace attack.
Bumrah’s absence means other fast bowlers will have to take greater responsibility for creating breakthroughs, particularly during the opening stages of an innings.
Gill, however, expressed confidence in the options available to him and singled out Prasidh Krishna for praise.
The India captain said Krishna had been bowling particularly well during the team’s preparations and described his recent bowling as the best he had seen from the pacer.
Gill also mentioned Gurnoor Brar, highlighting the youngster’s ability to generate bounce even with an older ball while maintaining good pace.
The captain suggested that India’s bowlers would need to be creative because the pitch may not always provide enough assistance.
“If” the surface does not offer significant movement, India will need to create pressure through disciplined bowling, attacking fields and sustained pressure on the Sri Lankan batting line-up.
Creative captaincy could be crucial in Galle
Gill stressed that wicket-taking opportunities may have to be created rather than simply waiting for the pitch to produce them.
He said India would need to find ways to keep the game from slipping away, particularly on the first two days if the conditions do not offer much assistance to the bowlers. Creative field placements could therefore become an important part of India’s strategy.
This could be particularly relevant in Galle, where spin is expected to play a significant role as the Test progresses.
India’s ability to manage the transition from the relatively better batting conditions early in a Test to a more challenging surface later could prove decisive.
Gill praises Devdutt Padikkal
Gill also spoke positively about left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal, who has previous experience of playing in Sri Lanka with India A.
The captain said Padikkal had performed well during that stint and possessed the skills and potential required to succeed in Test cricket.
Padikkal’s familiarity with the conditions could be useful for India, particularly if the team wants a batter who already has some experience of playing in Sri Lanka.
Gill also explained how the team discusses the influence of wind when planning how to attack spinners.
Rather than treating the wind as an obstacle, Indian batters can potentially use its direction to their advantage when selecting shots and deciding how aggressively to take on spin bowling.
Gill comfortable with Test captaincy
The Sri Lanka series also represents another important stage in Gill’s development as India’s Test captain.
Gill said he was comfortable with the leadership role and was pleased with the progress the team had made over the previous year.
His comments also indicate that the team’s leadership is already thinking beyond the immediate two-Test assignment.
The ultimate objective is the WTC 2027 final, but reaching that stage will require India to consistently collect points over the next several months.
India face a demanding road to the WTC final
India’s fifth-place position means there is little room for complacency.
Gill’s six-or-seven-win calculation highlights the scale of the challenge. A strong start in Sri Lanka would provide India with valuable momentum, while dropped points could make the qualification race considerably more difficult later in the cycle.
The team will also have to manage injuries, player workload and changing conditions across its remaining Tests.
For Gill, the challenge is therefore both tactical and managerial. He needs to get the best out of his squad while ensuring India remain competitive across an entire WTC cycle.
Conclusion
India’s Test campaign in Sri Lanka is about more than a two-match series. Shubman Gill has made it clear that the larger objective is qualification for the World Test Championship 2027 final.
With around nine Tests remaining, Gill believes India may need to win six or seven to have a strong chance of reaching the summit clash. That makes every remaining Test important, beginning with the opening match against Sri Lanka in Galle.
India’s early preparation, the emergence of alternative pace options in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and the team’s ability to adapt to Sri Lankan conditions will all be tested. For Gill and his team, the path to The Oval begins in Galle — and there is little margin for error.