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.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is set to make his return to Test cricket against Sri Lanka, a team he has historically performed well against, bringing significant experience in both batting and bowling to the Indian squad.
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.
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.
Shubman Gill hailed Sri Lanka's gritty resistance after Sonal Dinusha's second century forced India to settle for a draw in the second Test.
Devdutt Padikkal's assured batting at number three and Manav Suthar's strong performance as a lead Test spinner are the biggest gains for India from their recent Test series in Sri Lanka, addressing key questions surrounding the team's future.
India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, hosted both the Indian and Sri Lankan men's cricket teams at the India House in Colombo, emphasising cricket's role in strengthening bilateral ties ahead of their second Test match.
Sri Lanka's Sonal Dinusha scored an unbeaten 133, his second century of the match, to help the hosts salvage a draw against India in the second Test, denying them a series sweep.
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.
Kemar Roach picked up four wickets as West Indies crushed Sri Lanka by an innings and 217 runs in the first Test on Sunday.
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.
Shubman Gill remains hopeful of India reaching the WTC final, but the team must win at least six of their remaining seven Tests.
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.
Spinner Prabath Jayasuriya led the charge with a five-wicket haul as Bangladesh collapsed for just 133 in their second innings, handing Sri Lanka a win by an innings and 78 runs.
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.
Pacer Gurnoor Brar's impressive 10-wicket match haul and Sai Sudharsan's century led India A to a resounding 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka A in the second unofficial Test in Galle. This performance strengthens Brar's case for a Test debut in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, while other Test regulars also gained valuable game time.
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.
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.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir's standing in red-ball cricket faces a crucial test as the team embarks on a two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
Kuldeep Yadav will look towards the Sri Lanka series as his big opportunity to finally seal his place as India's No 1 spinner in Tests.
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.
Devdutt Padikkal scored a patient 67 as India A set Sri Lanka A a target of 312, but persistent rain forced the opening unofficial Test in Galle to end in a draw.
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.
Indian ODI skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has opted out of the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka citing exhaustion.
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.
Sri Lanka completed a 2-0 series sweep against Bangladesh on Wednesday after winning the second Test in Chattogram by 192 runs despite Mehidy Hasan Miraz's gallant resistance.
Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will miss the Test series against Sri Lanka next month because of a knee injury. Pakistan team coach Intikhab Alam said Shoaib would need at least three weeks to recover from the surgery, ruling the 33-year-old out of the two home Tests being played between February 23 and March 6.
Dhruv Jurel on Sunday said he was not under any "pressure" despite failing to notch up a fifty in his last seven innings, and thanked head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill for giving him confidence during the lean phase.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak lauded Devdutt Padikkal for his maiden international century against Sri Lanka, highlighting his dedicated work on back foot play and shot selection. Kotak also provided an update on vice-captain KL Rahul, who retired hurt due to cramps but is expected to be fit for the next day's play. The coach further discussed the Galle pitch conditions, anticipating more turn as the Test progresses, and praised Rahul's versatility across formats.
Prasidh Krishna's hostile spell and Manav Suthar's two wickets helped India keep Sri Lanka under pressure on Day 3, despite 50's from Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Sonal Dinusha in Colombo on Tuesday.
The 18-member Sri Lanka Test squad, led by star batter Dimuth Karunaratne and featuring veterans such as Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal, checked in Dharamsala on Friday.
Sonal Dinusha was named ICC Men's Player of the Month after tormenting India with 420 runs at 140, including three centuries, across Sri Lanka's two-Test series.
India A is expected to make several changes to its playing eleven for the second 'Test' against Sri Lanka A, aiming to provide exposure to all squad members.
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.
Teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been named in the 15-member India A squad for the tri-nation 50-over series in Sri Lanka, starting June 9.
A security delegation from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has arrived in Pakistan to review arrangements for England's upcoming ODI tri-nation series tour. The delegation will inspect venues and meet officials to ensure security plans are robust for the series, which also involves Sri Lanka and runs from October 18 to 31.
England fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the Test series against Sri Lanka due to a thigh injury.
England's two-match Test series in Sri Lanka starting next week has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday. The first Test was scheduled to start in Galle on March 19 and the second game set for Colombo from March 27.
Travis Head impressed in Australia's 2023 tour of India showing his proficiency against spin
Former Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas has called on cricket authorities to actively work towards preserving Test and 50-over formats, warning that they are 'dying' amidst the growing global preference for T20s and franchise leagues.
