The Shubman Gill-led Indian cricket team celebrated the country’s 80th Independence Day by hoisting the Tricolour at their hotel in Galle before taking the field against Sri Lanka in the first Test on Friday (August 15).
The occasion held added significance as India became the first Asian nation and only the third team overall, after England and Australia, to play 600 Test matches.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill led the flag-hoisting ceremony, which was attended by players and support staff. The event concluded with the singing of the national anthem.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video of the celebration on social media and wrote, “On the occasion of Independence Day, #TeamIndia gathered at Galle to hoist the Tricolour ahead of the First #SLvIND Test.”
After opting to bat first, Gill spoke about the significance of leading India in a historic Test on Independence Day.
"Very big honour for me, every time you get an opportunity to lead your country, and even more so special on this occasion. Independence Day for us and 600th Test match, so looking forward,” he said.
Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav echoed similar sentiments ahead of the match.
“Firstly, it's a massive honour to be part of India's 600th Test match on Independence Day. To be part of the 600, it's a big feeling and very happy about that,” he said.
India are currently placed fifth in the World Test Championship 2025-27 standings, with four wins from nine matches. The team will be looking to secure valuable points from the Sri Lanka series and strengthen their chances of reaching the WTC final, scheduled to be played at The Oval in June 2027.
