Shubman Gill-led India landed in Sri Lanka 11 days before the start of the first Test of the two-match series. The first Test of the series will kick off on August 15 while the second game will take place from August 23 to 27. Before the start of the Test series, India will play a three-day warm-up game against a Sri Lankan XI team. India have been struggling against spin for the past two years and have only managed series wins against Bangladesh and West Indies at home. The conditions in Sri Lanka are likely to be spin-friendly and the visitors will have their task cut out there.
India have brought as many as four net bowlers, all spinners, to Sri Lanka. While the net bowlers have joined the team in SL, number three batter Sai Sudharsan hasn’t landed in the island nation yet.
Sudharsan is recovering from a toe injury he suffered recently and there is no official update on him yet. The BCCI, in its release, stated that his availability for the series was subject to fitness clearance.
Sudharsan shone in the two-match unofficial Test series against Sri Lanka A and slammed two centuries recently. He kicked off the series with a 132-run knock. The left-handed batter scored 168 in the first innings of the second game. India chased down 33 in the fourth innings to win the series 1-0.
Should Sudharsan miss the first Test, Devdutt Padikkal will be his automatic replacement in the final XI. Padikkal, who made his Test debut against England in 2024, has scored 90 runs in two red-ball games.
Jasprit Bumrah ruled out
While Sudharsan’s availability is still not known, the BCCI has confirmed that Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the series. Bumrah suffered a knee injury during the ODI series against England and missed the third game. The right-arm pacer will make his on-field return in the 2026 Asian Games, scheduled to be played in Japan. Auqib Nabi has replaced him in the Test team.