Having conceded a lot of ground in the race for a top-two finish in the World Test Championship table following their 0-2 surrender at home to South Africa in November, India took the first step towards redemption in Galle earlier in the week. An encore at the SSC ground, where the second Test against Sri Lanka kicks off on Sunday, will be the perfect tonic ahead of their last two assignments, away to New Zealand in November (two Tests) and at home against Australia from January (five Tests).

Galle was a scrappy, hard-fought victory of the kind Gautam Gambhir, the perennial street-fighter, relishes. On Saturday, the head coach exhorted his wards to keep their eyes on the ball and stay focused on the present, words of wisdom unlikely to be lost on Shubman Gill and his colleagues.