A heated exchange between India's Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka's Asitha Fernando marred the opening session of the 2nd Test after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal for 45, leading to a confrontation on the pitch.
Veteran Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja advised debutant Saransh Jain to treat his maiden Test match as another First-Class game, urging him to enjoy the moment without pressure. Saransh, the 320th player to represent India in Tests, expressed his happiness at receiving his cap from an all-rounder like Jadeja and dedicated his cricketing journey to his father.
Dhruv Jurel notched up an unbeaten 115 to propel India to a commanding 509 for 8 before they declared the first innings against Sri Lanka on day two of the second Test in Colombo.
It is not easy to score two consecutive Test centuries unless one knows how to play the good ball on its merit and punish the bad ball to full effect.
Shubman Gill remains hopeful of India reaching the WTC final, but the team must win at least six of their remaining seven Tests.
Former Sri Lankan batter and veteran coach Roy Dias asserts that Test and ODI formats retain their relevance despite the rise of T20 cricket, advising young players to develop proper technique for success across all three versions.
India secured a comprehensive victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test, improving their World Test Championship points percentage. However, despite the win, their path to the WTC final has become significantly more challenging, requiring them to win almost all their remaining matches due to a tightly packed table and other teams' results.
Team India has brought in four young Indian spinners - Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Tanush Kotian, and Vipraj Nigam - to assist in net practice ahead of their two-Test series against Sri Lanka, despite already having four spinners in their main squad.
India pacer Mohammad Siraj has attributed his drop in pace and rhythm since the recent tour of Sri Lanka to an extended two-month break.
Mumbai's Sarfaraz Khan was named as the replacement for the injured Sai Sudharsan for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, the BCCI announced on Sunday.
India is poised to secure its first overseas Test series victory in three years as they face Sri Lanka in the second and final match, with skipper Shubman Gill and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal under pressure to deliver substantial knocks.
Sri Lankan batter Sonal Dinusha has made history by smashing his fourth successive fifty-plus score against India in the ongoing Test series, joining an elite group of cricketing legends.
Already, the knives are out for Gautam Gambhir because of his poor record as coach in Test matches, and a potential defeat in Sri Lanka could prove to be the killer blow.
Gautam Gambhir, India's head coach, dismisses criticism over recent poor results, stating his sole focus is on winning trophies for the country.
Ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka, the Indian cricket team underwent an intense net session in Colombo.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has expressed confidence in his team's readiness for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, starting August 15. Gambhir also welcomed new squad members Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi, emphasising the team's preparation for their first ICC World Test Championship assignment since a previous home defeat.
India's squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka is expected to be announced next week, with fitness concerns surrounding pace leader Jasprit Bumrah.
Sri Lankan cricket officials are considering a balanced pitch for the second Test against India at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), moving away from a spin-friendly track. This decision aims to provide equal opportunities for both batters and bowlers, similar to the Galle pitch, and support their young batting lineup. The SSC pitch character has evolved over the years, with less home advantage since the retirement of legendary players.
India U-19 defeated Sri Lanka U-19 by 211 runs in the second Youth Test in Colombo, securing the two-match series 1-0, with leg-spinner Rohit Yadav and pacer C Venkata sharing seven wickets.
Manav Suthar delivered a standout performance in just his second Test, taking 10 wickets as India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the opening match of the series.
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has become the country's highest run-scorer in ICC World Test Championship history, surpassing Shubman Gill, and also overtook MS Dhoni as India's highest run-scorer as a designated wicketkeeper in away or neutral Tests.
Sri Lanka have gone more than a decade since their last Test match win against India, having last beaten them in the Galle Test in 2015.
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak clarified Kuldeep Yadav missed the second Test due to genuine viral fever, rejecting speculation that the team had any reason to fake illness.
India captain Shubman Gill on Friday spent considerable time fine-tuning his game against that variation at the team's training session ahead of the upcoming second Test against Sri Lanka, in Colombo.
Sri Lankan all-rounder Sonal Dinusha, who averaged 140 in the recent Test series against India, found solace and success in cricket as an escape from financial hardship. His journey, marked by dedication and a relentless work ethic, saw him rise from a child without a bat to a national hero, with coaches highlighting his unwavering commitment to the game.
Gambhir strongly advocates three-Test series, arguing they give teams that lose the opening match a genuine opportunity to recover, compete harder and still win the series.
'If you don't know what he said then please don't make your judgment. If anyone crosses the line, we need to let them know this India will fight and reply.'
Uncapped off-spinner Saransh Jain has been named as the replacement for the injured Washington Sundar in India's Test squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, while the availability of key players Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan hinges on their fitness clearance.
Saransh Jain, India's Test cap No. 320, prioritised red-ball cricket over an IPL contract, a decision lauded by his coach Chandrakant Pandit, which ultimately led to his Test debut against Sri Lanka.
Former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane believes India's recent Test struggles stem from the departure of senior players, emphasising the need for a core of seven to eight experienced cricketers in the longer format.
Opener Lakshya Rajesh Raichandani scored his second century of the series, an unbeaten 100, to help India U-19 declare their second innings at 208 for three. This put them in a commanding position against Sri Lanka U-19, who were chasing an improbable 472 and ended day three at 155-4.
Avishka Gunawardene acknowledged India's dominance but hailed Sonal Dinusha's breakthrough, with the young batter scoring 420 runs, including three centuries, as a major positive for Sri Lanka.
India's first Youth Test against Sri Lanka U-19 concluded in a draw, marked by opener Lakshay Raichandani's impressive double century (207) and Manav Krishna's patient hundred (100). Despite India securing a significant first-innings lead, Sri Lanka U-19 batted out the final day to ensure a stalemate.
Team India coach Gautam Gambhir lauded his team's character and mental toughness after securing a 1-0 Test series victory against Sri Lanka, while also singling out Sri Lankan batsman Sonal Dinusha for his 'exceptional performance' in forcing a draw in the second Test with an unbeaten 133.
Indian seamer Prasidh Krishna clarified that his aggression manifests through his intense and disciplined bowling, not his on-field behaviour, emphasising his adaptability to pitch conditions and team requirements.
India Test captain Shubman Gill sustained two painful blows to his right hand during a training session in Colombo, just before a warm-up match against a Sri Lanka XI. Despite initial concerns, assessments suggest no serious damage, allowing Gill to continue preparations for the upcoming World Test Championship series.
Young Indian spin-bowling all-rounder Manav Suthar has made history by recording the best figures by an Indian bowler in Sri Lanka, surpassing legends Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin with a ten-wicket haul in the first Test in Galle.
'It's a no-brainer that in the next Test in New Zealand, your first choice has to be Devdutt.'
Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof believes rookie pacer Gurnoor Brar could be the 'X-Factor' for India in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah during the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, suggesting he would be tempted to hand the 26-year-old his debut.
Kushagra Ojha scored an unbeaten century, guiding India U-19 to a strong position of 253 for three against Sri Lanka on the opening day of the second Youth Test. After a shaky start where India lost two early wickets for no runs, Ojha, along with Yashbardhan Chauhan (78) and Manal Chauhan (55*), built crucial partnerships to stabilise the innings.
