India have suffered a setback ahead of their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, with Sai Sudharsan ruled out of the upcoming red-ball assignment due to injury. The series is scheduled to begin on August 15 in Galle, with the Indian team looking to make a strong start to their campaign. The visitors recently completed a three-day warm-up game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI, securing a convincing six-wicket victory as preparations intensified for the Test challenge.
Sudharsan’s absence leaves India without one of their promising young batting options for the series. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has moved quickly to name his replacement as the team prepares to travel to Galle for the opening Test.
BCCI announces Sai Sudharsan’s replacement for Sri Lanka Tests
The BCCI has confirmed that Sarfaraz Khan will replace Sudharsan in India’s squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka. The batter is expected to join the team before the squad travels to Galle for the first Test, which gets underway on August 15. Sarfaraz brings valuable experience to the Indian middle order, having already represented the country in six Tests. His most recent international appearance came during India’s home Test series against New Zealand in 2024.
Across his six Tests, Sarfaraz has featured in 11 innings and has produced one century and three half-centuries. Although he has not been a regular member of India’s Test setup recently, his performances in domestic cricket have kept him firmly in the selectors’ plans. The call-up comes after another productive Ranji Trophy campaign in the 2025-26 season. Sarfaraz accumulated 429 runs in nine innings at an average of 53.62, underlining his consistency in the longer format.
His return to the Test squad also comes after a period without competitive cricket. Sarfaraz last featured professionally for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL in April this year. He was also named in the West Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy but will now have to balance those commitments with his India duties.
The BCCI also provided an encouraging update on Sudharsan, stating that the batter has made significant progress in his recovery at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. He is currently recovering from a right-toe stress reaction.
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Devdutt Padikkal emerges as frontrunner at No. 3
While Sarfaraz has been added to the squad, Devdutt Padikkal appears to be the leading candidate to occupy the No. 3 position in Sudharsan’s absence. Padikkal strengthened his case with an impressive century in India’s 3-day practice match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI. The left-hander’s performance came at an ideal time, giving the team management another dependable option at the top of the order. With the first Test only days away, Padikkal’s recent form could give him the edge over the other contenders for the vacant batting spot.
India’s squad for Sri Lanka Tests: Shubman Gill (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi and Sarfaraz Khan
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