India, Aug. 9 -- There was nothing remotely spectacular about Shubman Gill's 44. It was, by the standards of the India captain's career, almost modest - 54 balls, seven fours, and a leading-edge dismissal that shouldn't be read too much into. Yet, as India completed a six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their tour match, Gill's innings carried significance beyond its score.

For India, this was less about runs than reassurance. Devdutt Padikkal's hundred on Saturday had already provided one important answer. Yashasvi Jaiswal's brisk 61 from 46 balls in the second innings added another. Rishabh Pant's batting in the second innings, too, offered familiar evidence of his capacity to change the tempo of an innings.

Then came Gill, back at t...