Sri Lanka’s southern coastal city stirred awake to the insistent whisper of rains at dawn. Water slanted down like sharp threads but once the clouds dissipated, the heat slithered in like a shroud that choked. As Thursday (August 13, 2026) wore on, Shubman Gill’s men trained hard at the Galle International Stadium.

After the net session, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel jogged a bit, and then faced the media. In the lead-up to the first Test against Sri Lanka from Saturday (August 15), questions ranged from team-composition to pitch-analysis.

India played a lone Test, the winning one against Afghanistan, earlier this year. Aware of this shortfall in cricket’s longest format, Morkel said: “We came 10 days earlier to give the guys the best opportunity to prepare. We haven’t played a lot of red ball cricket and going back into that will be a challenge. We are quite excited to see how these guys can stand up and create pressure.”

On a surface expected to aid spin, Morkel did not deny the possibility of having three left-arm spinners ranging from the conventional Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar to the unconventional Kuldeep Yadav, plying his chinaman wares. “Kuldeep is an attacking bowler, and with his experience and class we can’t look past. All three are different. One turns a bit more, and one is slightly more accurate. They have got the skill to get 20 wickets for us,” Morkel said.

The former South African speedster was not perturbed by the lack of experience in his pace attack: “All these guys have come a long way. Prasidh (Krishna) and (Mohammed) Siraj have played a lot of cricket back home, where it’s also tough bowling conditions. The biggest challenge will be the heat, the humidity, and the Kookaburra ball once it gets a little bit soft.”

Queried about the pitch, Morkel said: “It looks like a good surface and as the Test goes on, something will happen. We have prepared for all that can come our way. It’s more about the mental challenge now, facing these conditions, batting time, bowling those spells and getting the ball in the right areas.”

Reverse-swing was not ruled out too as Morkel explained: “It is definitely going to play a role. This morning we had quite a big shower, that will make the outfield a little softer and then it would take a bit longer for the ball to reverse. If you are a fast bowler, you will bowl short spells and you always will have an opportunity.”

Morkel was clear about the ideal strategy and it centred around excelling in the first innings and exerting pressure: “The first two days will belong to the batting side. Whatever happens at the toss, if you bat first make sure you go big and if you bowl first get the ball in the right areas.” Soon Morkel jogged away while the sun bathed the nearby Dutch fort and the Indian Ocean shimmered.