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 Lanka's cricket team is facing significant injury challenges ahead of the second Test against India, with key batter Kusal Mendis ruled out due to a hamstring injury and Dinesh Chandimal sidelined with a concussion.
Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Russel Arnold believes the hosts will struggle to add another frontline spinner to their playing XI for the second Test against India without upsetting the team's overall balance, especially given their batting struggles.
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.
VK Vineeth's superb 131 went in vain as Sri Lanka recovered from early jolts to notch up a thrilling one-wicket win off the last ball in the third and final Youth ODI and clinch the three-match series 2-1 in Hambantota on Thursday.
Indian spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule confirmed that captain Shubman Gill is fully prepared for the first Test against Sri Lanka, despite missing the initial days of the warm-up match due to a finger injury. Gill returned to score a quick 44, easing concerns and setting the stage for the upcoming two-match series.
Sri Lanka's remarkable lower-order resistance helped deny India a series sweep, with the tailenders facing more deliveries than the team's openers across the series.
With Kuldeep Yadav looking ineffective, India could look towards including off-spinner Saransh Jain in the playing XI in the second Test in Colombo, especially looking at three left-handers in the Sri Lankan top seven.
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.
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.
Sri Lanka A captain Sahan Arachchige scored an unbeaten 83, leading his team to 288 for 5 on the opening day of the second unofficial 'Test' against India 'A'. Indian bowlers Yash Thakur and Saransh Jain took two wickets each, but the hosts built strong partnerships on a slow Galle pitch.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Galle, on Wednesday.
Images from Day 2 of the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Galle, on Friday.
Goa's Venkata Chigurupati has earned his maiden India Under-19 call-up for the Sri Lanka tour after a standout season of 49 wickets and 380 runs, as the fast-bowling all-rounder sets his sights on the U-19 World Cup and a future in India's Test team.
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.
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.
India's Test vice-captain K L Rahul will miss the Duleep Trophy final for South Zone, as confirmed by skipper Tilak Varma.
Standing at square leg, Yashasvi Jaiswal kept urging Niroshan Dickwella to play his shots, reminding him of the aggressive 80 he had scored in the first innings.
Sarfaraz Khan has been recalled to India's Test squad for the two-match away series against Sri Lanka, starting August 15, following an injury to Sai Sudharsan. This recall comes after two years of consistent performance and a significant physical transformation, including shedding 17kg.
To defend their Asia Cup title, India must improve catching and find a steady middle order. Friday's dead rubber is a good chance to try these out.
India A recovered from a precarious position of 97 for five to reach 257 for five against Australia A on the opening day of their four-day match, thanks to resilient fifties from Sai Sudharsan, Kumar Kushagra, and Tanush Kotian. Kotian and Kushagra forged a crucial 138-run partnership for the sixth wicket, stabilising the innings after early setbacks.
India's vice-captain KL Rahul expressed his delight at the team's comprehensive 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle, stating that the team 'ticked most of the boxes' they had discussed prior to the match and gained significant confidence for future spin-dominated assignments.
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal will miss next week's first Test against India after being diagnosed with pneumonia, dealing a big blow to the hosts ahead of the three-match home series against their neighbours.
England and Wales Cricket Board's chief executive Tom Harrison on Thursday said a strict bio-bubble will not imposed for the upcoming England vs India Test series despite multiple COVID-19 cases in both teams in the lead up to the contest, starting on August 4.
K L Rahul is likely to be named India's vice-captain for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies, starting on September 27.
Saransh Jain's domestic success motivated by his cancer-affected dad's inspiring note. Saransh received his India Test call-up for the Sri Lanka tour on Tuesday.
With Sri Lanka having lost the series and with a hectic Test season ahead, the team management decided on resting the spinner.
Guwahati will host the India vs Australia Test match in February, while traditional venues like Mumbai and Kolkata have not been given any games in the 2026-27 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Taking the series 3-2 in Hambantota, 11th-ranked Zimbabwe registered its maiden series win in Sri Lanka, and first overseas triumph in eight years.
The Duleep Trophy final between East Zone and South Zone will feature a mix of rising talents like Devdutt Padikkal, Tilak Varma, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, alongside established players like Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, and Mohammed Shami. Players will be looking to impress selectors for upcoming national assignments, with Padikkal aiming to continue his red-ball form and Siraj seeking to regain rhythm. The match also marks Shami's 100th first-class game.
India have the option of playing all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Harmanpreet Kaur says a winning culture is taking shape in the Indian women's cricket team as they prepare for the Asia Cup and Asian Games.
As India take on Sri Lanka in a three Test series, Rajneesh Gupta presents all the numbers.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will get a golden chance to improve upon his none too impressive first class numbers when East Zone take on the severely inexperienced North East Zone in the quarter-final of the Duleep Trophy.
While India starts as favourites, following their success in the three-match Test series, the Sri Lankans are hoping to get back to winning ways with some good performances in the T20 matches.
The BCCI has postponed Wednesday's press conference to Thursday afternoon, where Ajit Agarkar will unveil India's squad for the two-Test series against the West Indies, with Shubman Gill returning as captain.
Mahela Jayawardene believes Australia have a chance of beating India in their own backyard in the four-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy series, which begins in Nagpur from Thursday.
New Zealand will go into the final day of the first Test against Sri Lanka needing 257 runs for victory with nine wickets in hand.
Joe Root's patient, unbeaten 99 anchored England's chase of 234 against India, securing a four-wicket victory and levelling the three-match ODI series 1-1. India captain Shubman Gill attributed his side's defeat to a middle-order collapse, which saw them slump from 178 for 3 to 193 for 7.
India skipper Shubman Gill has strongly rejected the idea of pruning ODIs to 40 overs, instead advocating for more triangular or quadrangular series to revive the struggling format amidst the rise of T20Is.
