Much of the focus on the final day’s play was on the India captain, who did not bat in the first innings. Gill had taken a knock to his hand in the lead-up to this tour game but whatever effect that may have had on his well-being seems to have passed. He opened the batting after the SLC XI set the Indians a target of 207 and looked in good form, scoring 44 runs off 54 balls with seven boundaries.

Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar, who is staking a case to continue as India’s third spinner when the first Test against Sri Lanka starts on August 15, were also retired out on 22 and 4 respectively which created a little tension as the day came to a close with the target coming in view. Siraj took that as his cue to go on a hitting spree, a hat-trick of sixes sealing victory.

It was a game of pure symmetry with both teams batting 90 and 45 overs in their first and second innings respectively.

The chase began with Gill replacing KL Rahul at the top. He survived a close lbw shout early but set the tone. He brought out the short-arm jabs and, along with Jaiswal, put on an exhibition of drives as India reached fifty in eight overs. The openers scored 10 boundaries during this period.

Jaiswal used his sweep shot to take on Ramesh Mendis from his very first over. His slaps through cover put the other offspinner Keshara Nuwantha on the back foot in his first over. Jaiswal and Gill put on 105 runs together at which point Jaiswal was asked to return to the pavilion and Rishabh Pant took his place.

Pant started in atypical fashion, with 21 dots. Gill was caught off the leading edge at short third. Pant got off the mark with a six and pushed India forward with a quick-starting Dhruv Jurel for company. They added 45 in eight overs before Jurel nicked behind. The tail got in a few lumps and then the day was done.

It didn’t faze Nishan, who put on back-to-back fifty-plus partnerships with Pavan Rathnayake and Anjala Bandara. He cashed in on full balls and held his shape well when bowlers went short on a slowing pitch. He cut and pulled Auqib Nabi for back-to-back fours to bring up the fifty partnership with Rathnayake, who was dismissed the next ball, spooning a harmless Gurnoor Brar delivery to point.

Like Nishan, Bandara was severe on bowlers missing their lines. He drove, swept and cut to pick up three boundaries in his first ten balls as SLC XI went past hundred at a run rate of 4.54. Soon, lunch was called and Nishan retired out for 63 off 73.

Prasidh and Suthar started well after lunch despite the latter getting ambushed by Bandara, who charged down and picked up a six and a four. Jadeja’s introduction cut off his burgeoning knock on 35 with Jaiswal taking a catch at slip. Two fours in the second and third last overs were the only signs of urgency SLC XI showed before declaring at tea.