Australia, who have already secured their place in the final of the World Test Championship against South Africa, won the opening Test, also in Galle, by an innings and 242 runs.
Starc's withdrawal comes after pace stalwarts Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were ruled out due to injuries.
'Josh is such a key figure for us -- not just with his bowling, because we know it's world-class and what he does time and again -- but also as part of the bowling unit, that sort of calm head out there for everybody else to lean on.'
Sam Konstas has vowed to take a more conventional approach than in his early Test appearances for Australia
The 2019 runners-up looked out of the contest after Ravindra fell in the 41st over but James Neesham injected fresh drama with a never-say-die 58 but it was not enough in the end.
In a major boost to Delhi Capitals, vice-captain Faf du Plessis has decided to return for the remainder of the IPL while England all-rounder Will Jacks will rejoin Mumbai Indians for their final two league fixtures.
Shreyas Iyer thanked head coach Ricky Ponting for giving him the 'freedom' to go out and express himself as Punjab Kings sealed a spot in the Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025
In the bowling rankings, Keshav Maharaj and Matt Henry have broken into the top five
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
Glenn Maxwell's hopes of reviving his Test career may be over after the all-rounder missed out on selection in Australia's much-changed squad for the Sri Lanka tour.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Virat Kohli washed away 18 years of hurt and disappointment, conquering Punjab Kings by six runs to lift their maiden Indian Premier League title.
If Smith is ruled out, then the left-hand batter Travis Head will lead the squad as he is the vice-captain of the side.
Australia carved out an 82-run lead over West Indies on day two of the first Test in Barbados on Thursday, with the hosts frustrated by several close umpiring calls that went against them.
Veteran Smith, IPL sensation Fraser-McGurk ignored; Marsh to lead Aus at T20 WC
With the announcement of IPL resumption imminent, Punjab find themselves well-placed with majority of their star Indian and foreign players already in the country and on standby.
Pooran, Powell make fifties as WI hammer nine-man Australia by 35 runs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru raced to their first IPL final since 2016 with an eight-wicket thrashing of Punjab Kings in a lopsided Qualifier 1 match.
Speaking ahead of the first Test from June 25 onwards at Barbados, Joseph said as quoted by Sydney Morning Herald, "To take 13 wickets across the series was a good feeling. A lot has changed. There were a lot of opportunities that came my way."
Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith hailed his side's resounding innings and 242-run victory over Sri Lanka in Galle on Saturday as "near flawless" after the visitors retained the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy.
Marsh was nonetheless retained in Australia's list of contracted players released on Tuesday for the 2025/26 season in an endorsement by selectors.
All the 10 teams are involved in a lot of back and forth with their overseas recruits over their arrival plans in India a day after the IPL announced the revised schedule following necessary security clearances from the government.
With recent matches indicating that chasing teams have fared slightly better, the toss-winning captain may opt to bowl first.
CSA's director Enoch Nkwe changed his stance, saying higher-level talks were happening between CSA, the BCCI, and IPL franchises, suggesting CSA had little choice in the matter.
With no ODI series in Australia in the next two years, it is impossible to think that the legendary duo will again be seen Down Under in India blues.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's bid for a maiden home victory this IPL season will depend on their batters' ability to handle the spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Glenn Maxwell when they face the Punjab Kings on Friday.
The selectors have decided to rest David Warner for the five-match T20 series in India following Australia's ODI World Cup triumph.
Images from the second T20 International between England and Australia, at Sophia Gardens Cricket Ground, Cardiff, Wales, on Friday.
Selectors will likely opt for another batter to cover for all-rounder Green in the India series and possibly an opener if Steve Smith is restored to the number four spot.
Struggling CSK look to turn around fortunes against PBKS
Smith's unbeaten 120 is his second successive hundred of the series while Carey made a career-best 139 not out hitting 22 fours and three sixes between them.
'I've been bowling here for the Melbourne Stars, I know the pitch, I know the length.'
Mitchell Marsh will captain Australia from a distance when they take on West Indies in the first of three Twenty20 internationals on Friday.
In a stunning turn of events, Western Australia's batting lineup suffered a catastrophic collapse, going from a comfortable 52/2 to an all-time low of 53 all-out in their One-Day Cup match against Tasmania on Friday.
Matthew Wade acknowledged India's relentless pursuit, citing the challenge of executing yorkers.
Australia clinched a 3-0 T20I series sweep over Pakistan in Hobart, powered by a blistering unbeaten 61 off 27 balls from Marcus Stoinis on Monday.
Punjab Kings defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by five wickets in a rain-affected IPL match reduced to 14 overs per side at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, Bengaluru, on Friday, April 18, 2025.
Shaheen and fellow quick Naseem Shah led the way, picking up three wickets apiece during a showcase of swing and pace, which accounted for Jake Fraser-McGurk (seven) and Aaron Hardie (12) in the first powerplay.
Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has been left supremely impressed by the quality of youngsters in the Punjab Kings squad as well as the Indian T20 set up on the sidlelines of the IPL.
This is Sri Lanka's biggest victory over Australia in ODIs in terms of runs.
