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.
Top-order batter B Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka due to a big toe injury. The injury, sustained during the India A tour last month, requires further healing time, leading to his withdrawal from the squad.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is set to meet Head Of Cricket VVS Laxman to review the rehabilitation management programme at the Centre of Excellence (COE) following a spate of injuries to key Indian players. The meeting aims to address concerns regarding player fitness and the effectiveness of the COE's injury management protocols.
Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of The Hundred tournament due to a hamstring injury. This injury puts her participation in the upcoming Women's T20 Asia Cup in doubt, as she has less than three weeks to recover.
Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam sustained a hand injury during a warm-up match, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming three-match Test series against England, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27.
A source at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru has expressed significant concerns regarding players competing in the Indian Premier League while injured, attributing this to franchise and financial pressures, which subsequently complicates their rehabilitation and return to international cricket.
Indian women's cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of the upcoming Asia Cup and Asian Games due to a high-grade hamstring tear sustained during The Hundred tournament in England. Pratika Rawal has been named as her replacement for the Asia Cup.
VVS Laxman, head of the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, has defended the CoE against criticism regarding slow player recovery, stating that cricketers are not 'machines' and rehabilitation timelines can vary.
England fast bowler John Turner, 25, has announced his shock retirement from professional cricket, citing a persistent stress fracture and injury record.
VVS Laxman, chief of the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), confirmed that the search for a permanent Head of Sports Science and Medicine is ongoing, nearly 18 months after Nitin Patel's departure, despite mounting injury cases among Indian cricketers.
India skipper Shubman Gill has shed light on the team's meticulous approach to player fitness, explaining that while constant monitoring is in place, risk-avoiding decisions are sometimes necessary, especially in the demanding format of Test cricket, to protect both the player and the team's long-term interests.
Veteran Sri Lankan batter Dinesh Chandimal has been ruled out of the ongoing first Test against India in Galle due to concussion, sustained while fielding on day four. Pasindu Sooriyabandara has been approved as his concussion substitute.
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant retired hurt during the second Test against Sri Lanka after being hit on his left arm by a short ball from Lahiru Kumara. He received medical attention but was visibly in pain and left the field, with Ravindra Jadeja replacing him.
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's opening batter Pratika Rawal has been ruled out of the upcoming historic Lord's Test against England due to a knee injury sustained during an India A game. Priya Punia has been named as her replacement for the match, which marks the first women's Test ever held at Lord's.
England all-rounder Jacob Bethell has been ruled out of the 2026 edition of The Hundred due to a knee injury sustained during the recent one-day international series against India.
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.
Veteran Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has announced his immediate retirement from all formats of international cricket, stating that the time is right for him to 'move on' after a career spanning over a decade.
Devdutt Padikkal on Tuesday asserted that Test cricket remains his "ultimate goal", and subtle technical adjustments to his batting has helped him make an instant impact in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Young pacer Harshit Rana and veteran spinner Varun Chakravarthy have been ruled out of India's upcoming ODI and T20I assignments due to hamstring injuries. Prince Yadav will replace Rana in the ODI squad for England, while Ravi Bishnoi steps in for Chakravarthy for the T20I series in Zimbabwe.
India pacer Mayank Yadav has described the two-year injury-enforced absence from international cricket as the most difficult phase of his young career, admitting that battling repeated setbacks at the age of 22-23 tested him mentally.
Bangladesh's Test squad for the upcoming series against Australia faces significant challenges with pace spearhead Ebadot Hossain unavailable due to personal reasons and Nahid Rana's participation uncertain due to injury. Despite these setbacks, the team remains optimistic about Litton Das's recovery and the batting unit's ability to perform, as they prepare with an early arrival and warm-up match in Darwin.
India's ODI captain Shubman Gill has voiced strong concerns over the recurring injury issues plaguing his bowlers, questioning their fitness commitment ahead of next year's World Cup. Following a 1-2 series loss to England, Gill highlighted that multiple key players were sidelined due to injuries, impacting team combinations and raising doubts about their ability to sustain performance through a long tournament.
Former India captain Shantha Rangaswamy advocates for the expansion of red-ball cricket in the women's game, citing India's emphatic 270-run victory over England at Lord's. She urges the BCCI to revive longer-format domestic competitions across all age groups, emphasizing that Test cricket is crucial for developing technically sound players.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam will miss this week's first test in against England after injuring his right hand during a warm-up match and Salman Ali Agha will deputise, head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said on Tuesday.
VVS Laxman, head of the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, lauded Virat Kohli as an 'exemplary professional' and 'great role model' for his consistent high standards.
Sri Lanka's head coach Gary Kirsten expressed satisfaction with his team's developing approach to Test cricket despite a loss to India. He highlighted the team's fight and resilience, particularly after a poor start in their first innings, and praised young batter Sonal Dinusha. Kirsten also provided an update on key player injuries ahead of the next Test.
Josh Little, Mark Adair, Paul Stirling, Curtis Campher, Barry McCarthy and Jordan Neill have been ruled out of the two-match T20 series against India with injuries.
Ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka, the Indian cricket team underwent an intense net session in Colombo.
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya was on Wednesday ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan after picking up a fresh quadriceps strain.
Saransh Jain, the 33-year-old Madhya Pradesh all-rounder, made his India Test debut against Sri Lanka, replacing the injured Kuldeep Yadav, a testament to his consistent domestic performances.
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.
Indian all-rounder Mahipal Lomror has signed with Surrey for the remainder of the County Championship season. He becomes the second player from Rajasthan to join the English side this season, filling a gap left by injuries and international call-ups.
Sri Lanka Cricket has announced a 16-member squad for the first Test against India, featuring the return of wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella.
India's T20I squad against England has been hit by a double injury blow, with pacer Harshit Rana and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy ruled out of the remaining two matches due to hamstring injuries sustained during the third T20I defeat. Washington Sundar and Prasidh Krishna have been named as replacements.
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar believes he could have achieved 400 Test wickets under the captaincy of Imran Khan, reflecting on his career, his relationship with Wasim Akram, and the immense physical toll his express pace bowling took on his body.
Punjab Kings all-rounder Shashank Singh is set to play for Pondicherry in the 2026-27 domestic season after securing an NOC from the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh. Singh alleges a lack of support from Chhattisgarh during his injury recovery and claims he was unfairly excluded from state tournaments and camps, despite being a top domestic performer. He plans to focus on white-ball cricket moving forward.
Essex all-rounder Noah Thain became the first injury substitute in county cricket, replacing injured captain Tom Westley in a match against Hampshire.
Gautam Gambhir, India's head coach, dismisses criticism over recent poor results, stating his sole focus is on winning trophies for the country.
Bangladesh achieved a historic nine-wicket victory over top-ranked Australia in the first Test in Darwin, marking their first Test win in Australia. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto credited the team's focus on pace bowling for this significant upset, highlighting a shift in mindset among young fast bowlers. Hasan Mahmud was named Player of the Match for his nine wickets, including 6-55 in the first innings.
