India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule expressed satisfaction with the team's readiness after their three-day warm-up fixture against Sri Lanka Cricket XI at the NCC Ground, Colombo, which India won by six wickets. Bahutule said the spin unit made full use of the outing to acclimatise to local conditions ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, with the first Test scheduled at Galle on 15 August.

Spinners Clock Valuable Overs on a Turning Track

In the warm-up game, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, and Saransh Jain bowled 15, 18, 13, and 11 overs respectively in the first innings, before the quartet combined for 27 overs in the second. Jadeja claimed two wickets in each innings.

'Firstly, I think the bowlers had a great opportunity to go down and express themselves on a pitch which was slightly on a flatter side on the first day. But as the days went by, there was more turn on to it and definitely a good outing for the spinners,' Bahutule said at the post-match press conference.

Kuldeep's Workload Managed After Yorkshire Stint

Kuldeep, who arrived in Sri Lanka after playing five One-Day games for Yorkshire in England, bowled 18 overs in the match plus an additional 2-3 overs in the nets before play. Bahutule noted that the left-arm wrist-spinner took a brief break to assess his body before returning to action.

'He had a very good outing and he just wanted to take a break in terms of just understanding how his body is,' Bahutule said, adding that the other spinners each bowled roughly 14-15 overs apiece, giving everyone a thorough run in the middle.

New Faces Get Critical Acclimatisation Time

Bahutule underlined the value of early arrival for players touring Sri Lanka for the first time, particularly Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain. While experienced campaigners like Jadeja have played in the country before, the debutants needed time to understand ideal lines, lengths, and field placements on subcontinental surfaces.

'Few of the guys have come here, experienced guys — Jaddu has already played here. But the new guys like Manav and Saransh Jain, they need to just adapt to what will be the ideal lines, ideal lengths and obviously the field sets,' he said. He credited the trio of days as having been 'used brilliantly' by the squad.

Spin Combination for Galle Test Still Open

Bahutule declined to confirm the final spinning combination for the first Test, saying the decision would be made only after the team reaches Galle. He highlighted the distinct strengths each spinner brings: Jadeja's experience, Suthar's accuracy, Jain's domestic track record, and Kuldeep's wrist-spin variety.

'All four spinners have that uniqueness... Kuldeep, being a wrist spinner, it always helps to have a wrist spinner in the side so that there is variety,' he noted. The coaching staff will weigh their options on arrival at the venue.

Net Bowlers' Stay to Be Decided Shortly

On the future of net bowlers Harsh Dubey, Vipraj Nigam, Shivang Kumar, and Tanush Kotian, Bahutule said a call would be taken soon. He indicated they are likely to remain through the first Test before returning home to prepare for the Duleep Trophy and other domestic tournaments. With the Galle Test now days away, India's spin attack appears well-rested and well-rehearsed for the challenge ahead.