India, Aug. 15 -- A gruelling trial by spin awaits Indian batters in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka beginning here on Saturday, with head coach Gautam Gambhir's standing as the country's red-ball in-charge relying heavily on its outcome.

Under Gambhir, India have been a near-infallible white-ball unit as revealed by their rampaging title-winning runs in the Champions Trophy, Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.

But Test cricket paints a grim picture. Home whitewashes against New Zealand and South Africa have put a hole in India's World Test Championship ambitions.

Those string of failures and the subsequent exit of a bunch of support staff - two assistant coaches and a fielding coach - have made the need for rejuvenation for Gambhir and ...