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A positive update for the India National Cricket Team ahead of their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. Captain Shubman Gill, who injured his finger while batting in the nets and was uncertain for the first Test of the series, returns to practice.
In the early hours of August 9, it is reported that the Indian skipper returns to the nets after receiving the injury. Because of the injury, he missed the ongoing practice match in Colombo against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo.
Shubman Gill starts batting practice again after the minor finger injury
Tension increased instantly when KL Rahul walked onto the ground for the toss of the warm-up match, as the stand-in captain, replacing Shubman Gill. Later, it was revealed that Gill sustained an injury.
As India was already dealing with multiple injury setbacks, the captain's finger injury only doubled the tension. Though it was also reported that the injury was not serious, the batter missed the practice match mostly for precautionary reasons.
GOOD NEWS FOR TEAM INDIA 🇮🇳
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 9, 2026
- Shubman Gill has started batting practice in the nets after 2 days of rest. [📸: Debasis Sen] pic.twitter.com/NngvcbolSy
When Shubman Gill walked in the practice pitches, head coach Gautam Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel kept their eyes on the India vs Sri Lanka Cricket XI practice match at the main ground of the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground.
Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna started well for India with the ball
In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, the two senior pacers, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, started things off nicely for the Indian cricket team on the third and final day of the practice match.
Siraj took the wicket of the opener Ravindu Rasantha following a proper plan. In his opening spell of the day, the fast bowler kept back-to-back sixteen balls outside of the off stump, beating the outside edges of both of the right-handed openers. On the 17th delivery of his spell, Mohammed Siraj guided the ball into the batter and plumbed on the pad of Ravindu Rasantha to get his first wicket of the innings.
The other pacer, Prasidh Krishna, started on the pads of the batters. Later, he shifted his line slightly to the middle, keeping the deliveries full with pure pace. He was instantly rewarded for maintaining a full length constantly. Krishna clean bowled Pasindu Sooriyabandara, the number three batter of the Sri Lanka Cricket XI batting line.
142 runs for Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal so far is the brightest star of the ongoing practice match. The batter played brilliantly in India's first innings, claiming 142 runs from 164 balls with 18 boundaries. Ravindra Jadeja, who came to bat at No.4, played a 63-run knock.
At the end of the innings, it was pacer Gurnoor Brar who surprised everyone with his hitting power. He smashed four maximums and a couple of 4s to secure a total of 357 for 6 for India in the first innings.
