Shubman Gill termed the draw as a disappointing result.
| Photo Credit: AFP

KL Rahul in action during a training session ahead of the first Test cricket match against Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium in Galle, Sri Lanka, on August 13, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Niroshan Dickwell
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Former Sri Lanka allrounder Farveez Maharoof feels rookie pacer Gurnoor Brar could be the ‘X-Factor’ in absence of Jasprit Bumrah and says he would be tempted to hand the 26-year-old his Test debut in the two-match series against Sri Lanka, beginning in Galle on Saturday.

Under pressure following home series defeat to South Africa, fifth-placed India will be without pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah when they resume Test action with a two-match tour of Sri Lanka.

Mohammed Siraj is expected to lead the pace attack but there is a speculation whether inexperienced Brar could make his Test debut replacing Prasidh Krishna who played in the last Test against Afghanistan.

“The ability to reverse-swing the ball, especially with the older ball, is something Bumrah brings, and that is going to be a massive miss for India,” Maharoof replied to a PTI query in a virtual media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network. “That is where I think they could lack some wicket-taking ability. Mohammed Siraj is a good bowler, with all due respect to him, but when you compare the two fast bowlers, there is a bit of a difference.” But at the same time, the former pace bowling all-rounder said he would be “tempted” to give a debut to Brar especially for the fact that the tall Punjab pacer’s raw pace, bounce and aggressive approach especially the way he gave body blows to several Test-squad batters during the warm-up match.

“I really like Gurnoor Brar. I think he can be the X-factor. He has the bounce, the pace and the fighting spirit. He can be nasty,” Maharoof said.

“If you watched the warm-up game, some of the deliveries he bowled to batters who are in the Test squad made them quite uneasy, and he even hit a couple of players on the body.

“If I were in the Indian think tank, I would be tempted to give Gurnoor a go. I know he has only played white-ball cricket for India, but he brings that X-factor. In short, burst spells, when you want to break a batter’s rhythm, he can be a lethal weapon.”

Tall Punjab pacer Brar was picked for the Test squad despite having only a handful of First-Class matches and limited IPL experience.

The 26-year-old Brar subsequently made his ODI debut against Afghanistan, and has picked up 11 wickets in six matches.

Brar also featured in India A’s tour to Sri Lanka last month, picking up a 10-wicket haul in the first match at Galle.

Suthar as third spinner

Maharoof says India will miss the now retired Ravichandran Ashwin and the injured Washington Sundar, who is ruled out of the first Test as Sri Lankan pitches often produce bounce for spinners rather than just turn.

While the duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav will be the first choice spinners there is a debate over the third spinner.

India have young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar who claimed seven wickets on his debut against Afghanistan, while there is also uncapped 31-year-old offspinner Saransh Jain who toured Sri Lanka with India A and claimed seven wickets and also made an unbeaten 70 batting at No. 7.

But Maharoof feels Suthar with ability to generate bounce should have the edge even as that makes it all three left-arm spinners.

“If you ask me, I would be tempted to go with the two left-arm spinners as well as Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep is a frontrunner to start in Galle, especially considering his record and the number of wickets he took in the last Test against Afghanistan.

“I see three spinners for India. Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and either Suthar or Jain. Ideally, you would like an off-spinner for variation, but I would not be surprised if Manav Suthar plays because his ability to get bounce off the surface could be very handy in Galle.”

“Overall, looking at India’s bowling line-up, it is quite competitive, with two seamers and three spinners.”

India’s flamboyant keeper-batter Rishabh Pant may be struggling at the moment but Maharoof feels he could be dangerous and take the match away with his unorthodox technique.

Pant got out for 2 and 28 in the warmup game that they won by six wickets in Colombo.

“If I were in the Sri Lankan dressing room, I would be very worried about Rishabh Pant. He is a player who, within half an hour or 45 minutes, can completely change the game.

“We have seen him do it in the past. He has that X-factor and has been given the licence to play his natural game. He is going to face a lot of left-arm spin and off-spin.

“Sri Lanka will surely go with two frontline spinners as well as two part-timers, but the way Pant scores runs, with his unorthodox style, he is going to be dangerous.”

Series prediction: 1-1 draw

The cricketer-turned-commentator further said India are a very strong side, particularly with Ravindra Jadeja batting at No. 7, and expects the all-rounder to have a major influence.

However, he predicted a 1-1 draw in the series, with Sri Lanka’s ‘King of Galle’, Prabath Jayasuriya, set to play a key role, especially with the crosswind expected to be a major factor at the venue.

“The biggest challenge for Indian batters will certainly be the spinners. I certainly feel Prabath Jayasuriya will be the biggest challenge for the Indian batters. He is our main weapon, while Asitha Fernando will be important with the fast bowling.” “We have nicknamed him the ‘King of Galle’ because of the number of wickets he has taken there.

“He knows how to bowl with the wind, and the wind is going to be a major factor in Galle because of the drift the spinners can generate.

“It is going to be a crosswind, so the Indian spinners will have to adapt quickly to that factor. How quickly they adjust to the wind is going to be massive,” added Maharoof, who has played 22 Tests and 109 ODIs and 8 T20Is for Sri Lanka.

The India tour of Sri Lanka will be live telecast on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV.

Published – August 12, 2026 12:25 am IST

Sai Sudharsan in action. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

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