Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak were spotted inspecting the pitch at the Galle International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, August 12, ahead of the opening Test against Sri Lanka. The two-match series begins on Saturday, August 15, with India looking to make a strong start to their World Test Championship campaign.

India entered the first Test with confidence after defeating Sri Lanka Cricket XI by six wickets in the three-day warm-up game in Colombo. The practice match concluded on August 9, following which the Indian squad travelled to Galle for the series opener.

With the Test match only a few days away, Gambhir and Kotak closely examined the playing surface at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. The nature of the pitch could have a major impact on India’s team combination, particularly with the visitors having several spin-bowling options in their squad.

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India has played five Tests in Galle, winning two and losing three. Their most recent appearance at the venue came in 2017, when Virat Kohli’s side registered a dominant 304-run victory. Shikhar Dhawan was the standout performer and earned Player of the Match honours after scoring 190 in the first innings.

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Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir takes a look at the pitch at the Galle International Stadium. He was accompanied by Sitanshu Kotak and Sairaj Bahutule.@debasissen @VTrips_7781 report from Galle. pic.twitter.com/QFduUQpK0B

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) August 12, 2026

Meanwhile, captain Shubman Gill’s fitness remains an important positive for India. Gill missed most of the warm-up match after suffering a knock to his right ring finger before the game. However, he returned in India’s second innings and scored a fluent 44 off 54 deliveries, including seven boundaries.

India’s spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule later played down concerns surrounding Gill’s fitness, explaining that his absence was precautionary. He also confirmed that the batter has been training normally and is ready for the opening Test.

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Gill has established himself as a key figure in India’s Test batting unit. The right-hander has scored 2,969 runs in 41 Tests at an average of 44.31, including 11 centuries and eight fifties. His highest Test score is 269. With Gambhir and the support staff now assessing the conditions in Galle, India will soon have to finalise their playing XI for the crucial series opener.