India head coach Gautam Gambhir threw a word of caution in his first on-camera speech in the Indian dressing room after starting his coaching stint on the perfect note with a 3-0 clean sweep in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. The three-match T20 series in Sri Lanka was India's first under coach Gambhir and new captain Suryakumar Yadav as India officially entered into a new phase in the shortest format of the game. Both Gambhir and Surya came out in flying colours.

India won the first two T20Is comfortably. There were moments when the Sri Lanka top-order put them under pressure but the way the Indian spinners came back every time, triggering a collapse, was commendable. But it was the third match in Pallekele on Tuesday that painted the true picture of Team India's tough character.

Chasing 138 to win on a tricky surface, Sri Lanka were coasting at 110/1 in 15 overs when the Indian spinners started to pull things back. Despite India's choke, Sri Lanka kept their noses in front courtesy Kusal Perera. The hosts needed only 9 runs off 12 balls with six wickets in the bank.

That is when Surya pulled a rabbit out of his hat by throwing the ball to Rinku Singh. Bowling for the first time in international cricket, Rinku gave away just three runs and got a couple of wickets, including the all-important one of Perera.

Surya's surprises did not end there. India's premier pacer Mohammed Siraj had one over left but he decided to bring himself into the attack for the last over to exploit the conditions that offered turned to the finger spinners. It turned out to be a great move as Surya struck twice and stretched the match to the Super Over, where India prevailed.

"Guys, congratulations on a great series win. Congratulations to Surya as well, outstanding captaincy and with the bat as well. I asked for something before the start of the game and you absolutely delivered it. "This is what happens when you keep fighting, (and when) you don't give up," Gambhir told the team in a dressing room chat shared by BCCI on 'X'.

"These kind of games happen and the only way these key games can happen (in favour) is when we keep fighting on every delivery and for every run and this was the example."

Gambhir, however, urged the team to keep working on improving collectively on turning tracks which posed a different challenge to the batting group in particular.

"We keep getting better, we keep improving our skills as well because we still need to get better on playing on wickets like these, because we might end up getting these kind of wickets (in future).

"So we should first assess the situation and conditions really quickly and what is the par score as well," he said.

Gambhir's subtle message to the seniors taking break

Gambhir urged players, who are not a part of the three-match ODI series starting on Friday, to enjoy their break but at the same time, keep working on their fitness for the long home Test series India have against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

"Some of the guys will not be a part of the 50-overs format will have a longer break, so make sure when you come back for the Bangladesh series...you can take a break. You absolutely deserve it, but more importantly, keep your skills and especially the fitness levels high."

"You don't want to come for that series thinking that 'okay, I can just turn up, probably deliver for the team'. So make sure that from the fitness point of view, the fitness levels are right up there," he said.

Notably, Hardik Pandya will not be in the ODI squad as he had asked for a break from the 50-over format due to personal reasons. Gambhir did not take any names, but the BCCI made it clear that Hardik will only be considered for the ODIs if he proves his fitness indomestic cricket.

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