Following reports of Sai Sudharsan being ruled out of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, there seems to be some good news for Sarfaraz Khan. Having last played a Test match in 2024, Khan could earn another call-up to the national team with Sudharsan being ruled out. The Mumbai-born batter has 371 runs in six games in the longest format for the Indian national cricket team.
India vs Sri Lanka Test Series: Sai Sudharsan Ruled Out
India suffer another major injury setback with their number three batter, Sai Sudharsan, being practically ruled out from the two-match series against Sri Lanka, due to be played from August 15 in Galle. Despite undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Center of Excellence (CoE) for minor foot discomfort, the team management was quite pleased at the possibility of having him back before the first Test began. According to the most recent reports, the Tamil Nadu batsman is unlikely to gain the approvals required for these matches having suffered a finger injury.
Sarfaraz Khan or Shaik Rasheed: Who Will Replace Sai Sudharsan?
In case the team wishes to replace the batter, Shaik Rasheed or Sarfaraz Khan could be the two potential candidates. The latest development states that Sarfaraz has already reached the CoE for conducting a fitness test for over a week now, while Rasheed has been instructed to come to the Bengaluru centre on Sunday.
Can Ruturaj Gaikwad Replace Sai Sudharsan?
Along with Sarfaraz Khan and Shaik Rasheed, Ruturaj Gaikwad emerges as another top contender in the race to replace Sai Sudharsan. The right-handed batter, who captains Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL), was part of the shadow tour by India A in June and July. However, he did not have the best of returns with the bat in hand. In three innings, he managed scores of 22, 1, and 13*. With his timid record for the India A team in the last two games, it seems likely that Gaikwad will find it tough to pip Sarfaraz and Rasheed when it comes to replacing Sudharsan.
Devdutt Padikkal in Line to Replace Sudharsan in Playing XI
While Sarfaraz Khan and Shaik Rasheed battle it out for a place in the squad, Devdutt Padikkal has all but confirmed his place in the playing XI in place of Sai Sudharsan. The Karnataka-born batter showed immense skills during the practice game ahead of the series as he scored a century. With the triple-digit score, Padikkal will surely be the top contender to replace Sudharsan in the starting XI for the Shubman Gill-led side.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
