india sri lanka test series – Artifex.News

India vs Sri Lanka Tests: India holds egde as Sri Lanka looks to draw level

admin — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 13:17:00 +0000

From the incandescent natural beauty that Galle offered, Shubman Gill’s men have moved to the bustling metropolis that Colombo has always been. This multilingual city and a maritime junction, both for ancient and modern trade routes, was vital to Ceylon then and is equally critical to Sri Lanka now.

Also read | Visitors brave the heat in Colombo nets ahead of 2nd Test

Leading 1-0 and stepping into the second Test commencing at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on Sunday (August 22, 2026), India holds the edge over Sri Lanka. The 165-run triumph at Galle will hold the visitors in good stead, a victory shaped by two young players — Devdutt Padikkal and Manav Suthar.

The pitch was a dull brown on match-eve, and fringed by the green outfield and rolled-up covers just in case it rained. Initial purchase for batters and later bonanzas for spinners, are the usual tropes associated with cricketing turfs in the Emerald Isle. And this surface will be no different.

In a batting unit that leant heavily on vice-captain K.L. Rahul and his Karnataka mate Padikkal, it is also time for Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Gill to join the party. Dhruv Jurel has done his bit in the middle-order and Rishabh Pant has been his robust self.

Even if Ravindra Jadeja offers batting solidity in the lower-order, India has a fragile tail, and it leaves the job of scoring runs entirely on the specialist batters. Countering the Sri Lankan spinners under shimmering heat that is intrinsic to the venue, will be a test of patience and technique.

Among the bowlers, Mohammed Siraj remains the spearhead with Prasidh Krishna having effected breakthroughs at Galle. While the spin-department is sorted with Suthar and Jadeja, there could be a swap between Kuldeep Yadav and Saransh Jain in the playing eleven. The latter’s off-spin could come in handy against left-handed batters.

For Sri Lanka, the fixture offers a chance to draw level in the series. Dinesh Chandimal, dealing with a concussion, will be missed in a batting order that is a touch short on experience. But the way Sonal Dinusha batted in the first Test, offered hope. At Galle, in the second innings, he was casually sitting on the side-wall, soaking in the sun, and awaiting his turn to bat.

Dinusha’s senior colleagues have to contribute as Sri Lanka needs big runs to exert scoreboard-pressure on India. A Test debut for Kamil Mishara is on the cards. The southpaw blitzed an unbeaten 145 in a recent domestic T20, but against India and in a Test, he would have to temper that innate aggression with caution.

The bulk of the home attack will lean on spinners Prabath Jayasuriya and Keshara Nuwantha. Their interrogation of the Indian batters would be the key that would determine how this game will proceed.

Gill’s men have ticked most of the boxes on this tour. They landed early, had a warm-up game, pocketed the Test at Galle, and in their last week in Sri Lanka, want to retain the feel-good factor. Sri Lanka, though, is keen on an ambush.

The teams (from):

India: Shubman Gill (captain), K.L. Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain.

Sri Lanka: Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis, Sahan Arachchige, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella (wicket-keeper), Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Milan Rathnayaka, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando.

Play starts at 10 a.m. IST.

Published – August 22, 2026 06:47 pm IST

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India vs Sri Lanka Tests: Focus is on scoring runs and taking 20 wickets, says Dhananjaya de Silva

admin — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 11:54:00 +0000

Sri Lanka’s captain Dhananjaya de Silva during a practice session ahead of the second Test cricket match between India and Sri Lanka, in Colombo, on August 22, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Runs on the board and rival wickets, is the template that Dhananjaya de Silva will chase when the second Test commences at the SSC Ground on Sunday (August 23, 2026). “It’s about putting runs on the board. That’s what India did [at Galle]. For the first two days they batted and got 460 runs. We are trying to improve and get some runs and take 20 wickets,” the Sri Lankan captain told the media on Saturday (August 22).

Also read | Coach Gambhir says focus is on winning 2nd Test, not on WTC

Looking ahead, he said: “We are one down, and we are disappointed. Here we need to play well from the outset. Even though we are short on experience, we have a lot of talent. A lot of players have performed well in the Test team and the A team. The pitch is quite dry and will be good for batting in the first two days. In terms of combination, we will have the same — two seamers and two spinners.”

The host skipper revealed that Kamil Mishara will make his Test debut: “He scored a hundred in a T20 last week; if you followed him in the last few months, he has scored well. We are also looking at a left-arm pacer, maybe Vishwa Fernando.”

Published – August 22, 2026 05:22 pm IST

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SL vs IND Tests | Role reversal — Kirsten seeks to use India experience in Sri Lanka challenge

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 13:19:00 +0000

Allies turned rivals: India head coach Gambhir and his Sri Lanka counterpart Kirsten go a long way back.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Gary Kirsten guided India to some of its greatest achievements during his three-year tenure as head coach. The defining moment came in his final assignment, when Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina carried him on their shoulders after India lifted the 2011 Cricket World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Kirsten looks back on those years with fondness, even as he now finds himself in the opposition camp.

As Sri Lanka head coach, he will be plotting India’s downfall when the two-match Test series begins at Galle on Saturday.

“That was a great three years. There was a lot of skill in the team. What I appreciated was that they accepted me into their space and felt I could add value. That was a real privilege,” Kirsten said during a virtual interaction on Thursday.

The South African earned widespread praise for his man-management skills while working with a star-studded Indian side that included Sachin Tendulkar, M.S. Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh.

Kirsten hopes to build similar relationships with the current Sri Lankan squad.

“I’ve treated this Sri Lankan opportunity with the same seriousness that I did the Indian team. I built good relationships with the Indian players, and I’m attempting to do the same with the Sri Lankan players,” he said.

The 58-year-old kept his cards close to his chest when asked about India’s perceived vulnerability against spin. “We would certainly like to bring all the skills into the game, not just spin,” Kirsten said.

The former opening batter also backed India head coach Gautam Gambhir. “His record speaks for itself. I really enjoyed working with him when he was a player. He was a very smart cricketer, and I knew he would have success as a coach,” Kirsten said.

(Watch Sri Lanka vs. India 1st Test Day 1 on August 15, 2026, from 10 a.m. IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony LIV).

Published – August 13, 2026 06:48 pm IST

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IND vs SL 1st Test | Morne Morkel open to possibility of playing three left-arm spinners

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:33:00 +0000

Morne Morkel.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Sri Lanka’s southern coastal city stirred awake to the insistent whisper of rains at dawn. Water slanted down like sharp threads but once the clouds dissipated, the heat slithered in like a shroud that choked. As Thursday (August 13, 2026) wore on, Shubman Gill’s men trained hard at the Galle International Stadium.

After the net session, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel jogged a bit, and then faced the media. In the lead-up to the first Test against Sri Lanka from Saturday (August 15), questions ranged from team-composition to pitch-analysis.

India played a lone Test, the winning one against Afghanistan, earlier this year. Aware of this shortfall in cricket’s longest format, Morkel said: “We came 10 days earlier to give the guys the best opportunity to prepare. We haven’t played a lot of red ball cricket and going back into that will be a challenge. We are quite excited to see how these guys can stand up and create pressure.”

On a surface expected to aid spin, Morkel did not deny the possibility of having three left-arm spinners ranging from the conventional Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar to the unconventional Kuldeep Yadav, plying his chinaman wares. “Kuldeep is an attacking bowler, and with his experience and class we can’t look past. All three are different. One turns a bit more, and one is slightly more accurate. They have got the skill to get 20 wickets for us,” Morkel said.

The former South African speedster was not perturbed by the lack of experience in his pace attack: “All these guys have come a long way. Prasidh (Krishna) and (Mohammed) Siraj have played a lot of cricket back home, where it’s also tough bowling conditions. The biggest challenge will be the heat, the humidity, and the Kookaburra ball once it gets a little bit soft.”

Queried about the pitch, Morkel said: “It looks like a good surface and as the Test goes on, something will happen. We have prepared for all that can come our way. It’s more about the mental challenge now, facing these conditions, batting time, bowling those spells and getting the ball in the right areas.”

Reverse-swing was not ruled out too as Morkel explained: “It is definitely going to play a role. This morning we had quite a big shower, that will make the outfield a little softer and then it would take a bit longer for the ball to reverse. If you are a fast bowler, you will bowl short spells and you always will have an opportunity.”

Morkel was clear about the ideal strategy and it centred around excelling in the first innings and exerting pressure: “The first two days will belong to the batting side. Whatever happens at the toss, if you bat first make sure you go big and if you bowl first get the ball in the right areas.” Soon Morkel jogged away while the sun bathed the nearby Dutch fort and the Indian Ocean shimmered.

Published – August 13, 2026 05:03 pm IST

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Sarfaraz Khan replaces injured Sai Sudharsan, back in Test squad

admin — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 15:15:00 +0000

Sarfaraz last played for India in November 2024.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini.

Sarfaraz Khan has returned to India’s Test squad after 20 months, with the Mumbai batter replacing the injured B. Sai Sudharsan for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka.

The Hindu understands that the selection committee, in consultation with the team management, picked Sarfaraz after Sai Sudharsan did not recover in time from a right big-toe stress injury. The BCCI announced Sarfaraz’s inclusion on Sunday. He is expected to link up with the Indian team in Colombo before the side travels to Galle on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old had emerged as a primary contender alongside Shaik Rasheed and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Rasheed, who has been knocking on the selectors’ door after a prolific domestic run, was considered for his ability to bat in the top-order while Ruturaj’s experience and First Class record kept him in the conversation.

Sarfaraz’s selection marks the return of a batter whose Test career had appeared to stall after his promising debut in 2024. He was conspicuously left out of India’s squad after not getting an opportunity during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. All of his six Test appearances came in 2024.

The Mumbai batter has continued to remain a top performer in domestic cricket, keeping himself in the selection frame despite the long hiatus at the international level. The vacancy at No. 3, created by Sai Sudharsan’s absence, may give Sarfaraz a chance to revive his Test career that began with considerable promise.

Published – August 09, 2026 08:44 pm IST

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Indian batters aim to ace spin test in warm-up before Test series against SL

admin — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:16:00 +0000

Indian batters will be keen to fine-tune their skills against spin during a three-day warm-up match against a local Sri Lanka XI at the Nondescripts Cricket Club in Colombo on Friday (August 7, 2026) as they gear up for a two-match Test series against the Islanders next week.

Quality spin proved to be India’s Achilles Heel against New Zealand and South Africa at home recently, and the challenge will not be any different against Sri Lanka.

The Islanders have a capable unit of tweakers, particularly in home conditions, and thus this warm-up match assumes massive importance for Indian batters ahead of the first Test at Galle on August 15.

Some frontline batters like skipper Shubman Gill, K.L. Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal had started preparations against spin individually at their home facilities before boarding the flight to Colombo, but that cannot really supplant an outing on a Sri Lankan pitch.

The three-day match will give them valuable first-hand idea about local conditions, and it is important because many of them are playing the red-ball format for the first time on these shores.

India’s last Test series in Sri Lanka was in 2017, and the team composition has undergone vast changes in the last decade.

In fact, only Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in this squad have appeared in Test matches in Sri Lanka.

In the absence of an injured Jasprit Bumrah, pacer Mohammed Siraj will be India’s bowling lead with support coming from Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain.

This largely inexperienced bowling lineup, except Siraj and Kuldeep, will be eager to bowl on a Lankan pitch once again.

Both Brar and Jain had very good outings for India A against Sri Lanka A last month at Galle, and they will be raring to have another round of practice under their belt.

Head Coach Gautam Gambhir emphasised on this point.

“We know what is in front of us. We can do volume, we can push our limits, we can tick all the boxes and come 15th morning whether we are batting first or bowling first we will be absolutely ready with every answer to every question thrown at us.

“So make sure to tick all the boxes from now on,” Gambhir exhorted his wards in a video posted by BCCI.

However, intermittent rain is predicted to lash the city from Friday and that may jeopardise India’s designs.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka also announced a strong SLC XI that contained some frontrunners to make it to the Test squad.

Led by Sonal Dinusha, who has played three Tests for SL, the squad features pacers Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara and spinners Isitha Wijesundara and Ramesh Mendis.

Teams (from)

India: Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi.

SLC XI: Nishan Madushka, Ravindu Rashantha, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Pavan Rathnayake, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Sonal Dinusha (Captain), Anjala Bandara (wk), Nipun Dananjaya, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Asanka Manoj, Isitha Wijesundara, Ramesh Mendis, Kesara Nuwantha, Dilum Sudeera.

Match starts at 10 a.m.

Published – August 07, 2026 12:46 am IST

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