Shubman Gill has a chance to join a very small group of Indian captains if India can win the ongoing two-match Test series in Sri Lanka. Only Mohammad Azharuddin and Virat Kohli have previously led India to a Test series win on Sri Lankan soil. Gill’s team has already made a strong start in the opening Test at Galle, but there is still plenty of work to do.
India are playing their first Test series in Sri Lanka since 2017. The first Test began in Galle on August 15, with Gill leading India in the country’s 600th Test. India won the toss and chose to bat first.
The Two Captains Who Have Done It
India’s record in Sri Lanka is much stronger than the number of series wins might suggest, but only two captains have actually taken a series trophy home. Mohammad Azharuddin was the first. Under his leadership, India won the three-match series 1-0 in 1993. India did not lose a Test during that tour and secured their only win in the opening match at Colombo.
It took another 22 years for an Indian captain to repeat the feat. Virat Kohli led India to a 2-1 series win in 2015. Two years later, he went one step further as India completed a 3-0 clean sweep in Sri Lanka in 2017.
Kohli’s 2017 side was particularly dominant. India won the first Test in Galle by 304 runs, the second in Colombo by an innings and 53 runs, and the final Test by an innings and 239 runs. Kohli also enjoyed a remarkable batting series, finishing with 610 runs.
Several other big names have led India in Sri Lanka without winning a Test series there. That list includes Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble and MS Dhoni. This makes the challenge facing Gill even more interesting.
Gill’s First Test Has Started Well
India could hardly have asked for a better beginning with the bat in Galle. Devdutt Padikkal grabbed the biggest headline on the opening day, scoring his maiden Test century after returning to the side. He went on to make a superb 167, while KL Rahul contributed 82 and Dhruv Jurel made 51. India eventually finished their first innings on 462 on the third morning.
Padikkal’s innings has been especially important because he came into the side after Sai Sudharsan was ruled out of the series with a toe injury. His hundred has given India’s middle order another option at a time when the team is still trying to settle its batting combination.
Gill, however, could not make his own contribution count. He was dismissed for 16, meaning the Indian captain will have to wait for another opportunity to make a mark with the bat.
Sri Lanka’s spinners did manage to pull the game back after India’s strong start. Prabath Jayasuriya took four wickets for 109 runs, while debutant Keshara Nuwantha claimed three wickets. Still, India’s total of 462 has put the visitors in a strong position.
Why This Series Matters for Gill
India entered the series fifth in the World Test Championship 2025-27 table with 52 points and a points percentage of 48.15. Sri Lanka were sixth with 20 points. With only two Tests in the series, every result matters for India’s push towards the WTC Final.
A series win would give Gill an important start to his Test captaincy. More importantly, a clean sweep would provide India with a major boost in the WTC standings and strengthen the team’s position for the rest of the cycle.
The timing also makes the assignment important for India’s new-look Test side. With several senior players no longer part of the team, Gill is leading a group that includes players still building their careers at this level. Performances in difficult overseas conditions will tell us plenty about how this new Indian side handles pressure.
Can Gill Join Azharuddin and Kohli?
The equation is simple. India need to win at least one of the two Tests and avoid losing the other to claim the series. For Gill, the bigger prize is waiting beyond this match. If India can finish the series unbeaten, he will become only the third Indian captain after Azharuddin and Kohli to lead India to a Test series victory in Sri Lanka.
And if India can repeat Kohli’s 2017 clean sweep, Gill’s first Sri Lanka assignment as captain would go down as an even bigger statement. The record book currently has room for only two names. Gill now has a chance to add the third.
