India captain Shubman Gill didn't hide his disappointment after his team missed out on a clean sweep against Sri Lanka, but he chose to focus on the bigger picture. Speaking candidly after the second Test ended in a draw at Colombo, Gill admitted that the way Sri Lanka's lower order fought back over the final three days was nothing short of remarkable. He felt India could take valuable lessons from that resilience, especially with a tough New Zealand tour looming later this year.

"I think we played decently well," Gill said in a video shared by BCCI. "Obviously not the result that we wanted in this match. After day two, we hoped that it was going to be a win for us, and then Sri Lanka batted the way they did for these three days. Sometimes you have got to learn from the opposition as well and give credit to them for the way that they played. Hopefully, we have a good series in New Zealand."

The series ended 1-0 in India's favour, but the drawn Test hurt their World Test Championship standings, dropping them to fifth place. Still, Gill chose to highlight the positives. Devdutt Padikkal, who stepped in for the injured Sai Sudharsan, was named Player of the Series after smashing two centuries. Gill was full of praise for the left-hander, calling his ability to convert starts into big scores a treat to watch and a true reflection of his mindset.

Gill also had glowing words for left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who finished as India's leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps, including a ten-wicket match haul in Galle. The captain backed Suthar to lead India's spin attack for years to come, saying every time he bowls, he looks like creating a breakthrough.

Sri Lanka's fightback was led by Sonal Dinusha, who scored an unbeaten 133 in the second innings after making a century in the first. Along with Keshara Nuwantha, who added a gritty 46, Dinusha frustrated India's bowlers for hours and ensured the hosts escaped with a draw. Prasidh Krishna and Suthar shared the bulk of the wickets, but India couldn't break that final stubborn partnership.

Despite the missed opportunity, Gill remained optimistic. He believes the experience will serve his team well when they travel to New Zealand in November for a challenging series. In his view, every Test brings something to learn, and this one taught India the value of patience and perseverance.