Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara feels that Indian captain Shubman Gill was a little defensive with his tactics on Day 5 of the Colombo Test against Sri Lanka. Pujara also shared that Gill should have had fielders in attacking positions for a lower-order batter like Keshara Nuwantha as well. However, Sri Lanka pulled off a stunning draw against India on Day 5 of the second Test in Colombo on Thursday, August 27 as well.

During a discussion on Cricinfo, Pujara said: “He [Gill] was a little defensive. He hasn’t led the team in a lot of games, so he is a little inexperienced. I am sure he will learn from his mistakes. You need to attack. For someone like Keshara, you need to have that silly point and gully when either Manav Suthar or Ravindra Jadeja is bowling. You need to put that pressure when you are ahead in the game. Sri Lanka was not ahead in the game, it was India.”

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Meanwhile, after India failed to complete a win in the Colombo Test, many are arguing if they erred by enforcing the follow-on. However, Pujara stated that he would not have enforced the follow-on, but added that one cannot be too critical of the decision since it was made keeping the weather in mind as well.

“I genuinely feel that if India hadn’t enforced the follow-on, they had a better chance of winning the game. You have bowled 90 overs in Sri Lankan conditions, which is very hot and humid. When you get on to the field for the next 80-90 overs, you have the pressure of picking up 10 wickets. But the weather wasn’t looking good, so it’s tough to criticize the follow-on decision,” Cheteshwar Pujara concluded.