Sai Sudharsan scored his second consecutive century, and Devdutt Padikkal added an unbeaten 94, guiding India A to a strong 247 for one on Day 2 of the second unofficial Test against Sri Lanka A, trailing by 119 runs.
Sonal Dinusha's magnificent unbeaten 133, including a crucial century-run stand with Keshara Nuwantha, helped Sri Lanka secure a remarkable draw against India in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule confirmed that Kuldeep Yadav's absence from bowling in the second innings of the warm-up game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI was a precautionary measure to assess his body after a significant workload, allaying fitness concerns.
India faced early pressure in the second Test against Sri Lanka, reaching 88 for two at lunch on day one. Openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were dismissed after a solid start, with Devdutt Padikkal and Shubman Gill at the crease. The session also saw some on-field drama and a dropped catch.
India A, led by skipper Dhruv Jurel's unbeaten 141, declared their first innings at 452 for six against Sri Lanka A. Early breakthroughs by Anshul Kamboj and Yash Thakur put Sri Lanka A in trouble, though Nuwanidu Fernando and Ashen Bandara mounted a recovery.
Shubman Gill called India's drawn second Test against Sri Lanka frustrating but praised his players' effort, cleared Mohammad Siraj of injury concerns and backed India's WTC qualification hopes.
Mohammed Siraj is poised to lead India's pace attack in the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, stepping into the crucial role in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.
Dhruv Jurel showed the same traits as his father did as an army man: Courage, discipline, resilience and an unwillingness to surrender.
Gautam Gambhir, India's head coach, dismisses criticism over recent poor results, stating his sole focus is on winning trophies for the country.
Devdutt Padikkal's childhood coach, Mohammad Naseeruddin, revealed the rigorous training regimen the cricketer underwent, including practising with Kookaburra balls on turning pitches, to prepare for the Sri Lankan spin attack ahead of the Test series.
Top-order batter B Sai Sudharsan has not joined the Indian team in Colombo for their two-Test series against Sri Lanka due to a toe injury. He is undergoing recovery at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, with his availability for the series to be decided in the coming days.
India vice-captain KL Rahul said Manav Suthar's impressive ability to vary his speed without noticeable change in action, and unerring accuracy make the young left-arm spinner a massive threat across the conditions.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer believes K L Rahul performs best when not burdened by captaincy.
Senuja Wekunagoda's imposing unbeaten double hundred helped Sri Lanka Under-19 take control of the first Youth Test against India Under-19, posting a formidable 344/4 on the opening day in Galle.
Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has been suspended from first Test, to be held at Galle from Friday against Sri Lanka, after his side was found guilty of a serious over-rate offence during the fifth and final ODI against the Island nation at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The Duleep Trophy reaches its semifinal stage with defending champions Central Zone and last year's runners-up South Zone receiving direct entry. They will face East Zone and North Zone, respectively, who advanced after winning their quarterfinal matches. The upcoming clashes promise intense competition as teams battle for a spot in the final.
Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi and Madhya Pradesh's Saransh Jain, both uncapped players, have been drafted into the Indian Test squad for the series against Sri Lanka, replacing injured Jasprit Bumrah.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the numbers from Day 2 of the Galle Test.
Indian batter Rohit Sharma lauded former fielding coach T Dilip for his significant contributions, including two T20 World Cup wins and the Champions Trophy, calling him a 'legend' and a 'workhorse' who 'created magic within the group.' Dilip, who served from 2021 until recently, expressed gratitude for his tenure, especially cherishing the popular fielding medal ceremony.
'There's a lot of pressure on him, and there's a lot of pressure on this series as well, because it's crucial for India's chances in the WTC.'
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak lauded the team's productive warm-up victory against Sri Lanka, highlighting strong performances from both batters and bowlers, including Shubman Gill's quick 44 and Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 142, which set a positive tone for the upcoming two-match Test series.
Former Indian fielding coach T Dilip shared his most cherished memory with the team, highlighting the profound silence in the dressing room after their T20 World Cup 2024 victory.
The left-handed batsman achieved both feats on day three of the ongoing second Test against England at the Galle International Stadium on Sunday.
The India A squad is set to tour Sri Lanka for a two-match red-ball series, offering a crucial platform for emerging cricketers like Aquib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Sai Sudharsan, and Devdutt Padikkal to impress selectors and stake their claim for a spot in the senior national team. Dhruv Jurel will captain the side.
Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane shares crucial advice for Indian batters facing Sri Lankan spinners in the upcoming Test series, emphasising a proactive approach.
Sai Sudharsan's brilliant 168 and useful contributions from Dhruv Jurel and Saransh Jain helped India A reach 541/8 and take a commanding 175-run lead over Sri Lanka A in the second unofficial Test in Galle.
De Silva brought up his hundred with a boundary off Mohammad Nawaz and got good support from tailender Ramesh Mendis who remained not out on 45.
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has appealed to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for assistance in acquiring land to build a home and shift his base from Delhi to his native state. CM Dhami has assured Pant of all possible help, stating that the matter has been referred to concerned officials.
Ajinkya Rahane will always be remembered as the man who let his bat -- and his character -- do the talking, recalls K R Nayar.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the numbers from Day 3 of the first Test.
Auqib Nabi proved unstoppable with the ball last season -- picking up 60 wickets in 10 matches at an incredible average of 12.56 last season to help J&K script history by winning its first Ranji Trophy title.
Devdutt Padikkal's maiden Test century put India firmly in control on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka, with the visitors reaching 288/2 at stumps.
Sri Lanka Cricket XI's batters made India's bowlers toil as they piled up 363/8 on Day 1 of the Warm-up match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo on Friday.
Madhya Pradesh off-spinner Saransh Jain, 33, has been named in India's 15-member squad for the upcoming two-Test series in Sri Lanka, replacing the injured Washington Sundar, marking a surprise call-up after impressive all-round performances for India A.
India A will undertake a shadow tour of New Zealand ahead of the senior team's multi-format series in the country, with the itinerary comprising three List A matches and two first-class games.
Harish Kotian/Rediff.com highlights what Virat Kohli needs to ponder about, after the Galle defeat
Gautam Gambhir, known for his serious demeanour, surprised fans by sharing a series of memes on Instagram featuring a rare smile.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has voiced strong support for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup, emphasising that performance, not age, should be the primary criterion for selection.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal blasted a quickfire 61 from 46 balls before Mohammed Siraj smashed a match-winning 27 not out from 13 balls to power India to a six-wicket victory against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in the warm-up match.
Jasprit Bumrah has started practicing with the red ball as he gears up for the two-Test series in Sri Lanka next month.
