IND vs SL: With Team India set to play a crucial Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning on August 15 and a three-day practice match a week before that, a major update on batter B Sai Sudharsan has emerged. The 23-year-old has yet to link up with the squad ahead of the two-Test series in Sri Lanka. What is the latest update on the youngster’s availability.
IND vs SL: Will B Sai Sudharsan be available for India’s series-opener against Sri Lanka?
While the southpaw is yet to link up with the squad, Cricbuzz has reported that Sai Sudharsan will join the squad on August 8, Saturday and did not travel on the 4th. It has further emerged that the youngster is battling a toe niggle but has resumed batting at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. However, he will not be available for the three-day warm-up fixture, beginning on August 7. The Chennai-born cricketer pressed his case for the two-Test series by scoring centuries in both the unofficial red-ball games against Sri Lanka contested last month at the Galle International Stadium. It will also be the venue for the first Test between the two sides, beginning on August 15, Saturday. The second Test begins at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on August 23.
The tourists have already been struck with a blow through Jasprit Bumrah’s knee injury, ruling him out of the two-Test series. While it has opened the door for the uncapped and promising pacer Auqib Nabi, who performed well in the 2025-26 edition of the Ranji Trophy, there is significant experience within the squad. Except for Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul, none of the current squad members have played a Test in Sri Lanka and it’s India’s first red-ball series in the Island nation since 2017.
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Meanwhile, Shubman Gill and co. are currently placed 5th in the WTC points table, with four wins and as many defeats along with a draw in five games. While a 2-0 win over Sri Lanka will be a confidence-booster, the two-time WTC finalists need seven wins out of their remaining nine Tests to have a shot at reaching the final at The Oval.
Apart from Sri Lanka, they have Tests remaining against New Zealand and Australia. India had faced New Zealand in the 2021 WTC final and locked horns against Australia in 2023 but lost both. With the likes of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand capturing the Top 3 spots in the latest WTC standings, India again have plenty of catching up to do.
