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India National Cricket Team vice-captain KL Rahul stepped in as captain for the three-day warm-up match against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI after regular skipper Shubman Gill was rested following an injury scare during the team's training session in Colombo. The move came a day after Gill was struck twice on his right hand while practising, briefly raising concerns ahead of the two-match Test series.
Fortunately for India, the injury is not believed to be serious, with Gill completing the remainder of the practice session after receiving treatment. However, the team management opted not to risk their Test captain in the warm-up fixture at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground on Friday, handing the leadership responsibilities to experienced batter KL Rahul instead.
Why Shubman Gill is not playing India vs Sri Lanka Cricket XI match? KL Rahul leading the team!
Releasing an official statement, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Shubman Gill had been rested after suffering an impact injury to his right ring finger.
"Update: Captain Shubman Gill sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during India's practice on Thursday. As a precautionary measure, he will not take the field on Day 1 of the warm-up game against SLC XI. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress. KL Rahul will lead the team in Gill's absence," BCCI said in an official statement.
Sri Lanka Cricket XI won the toss and elected to bat first
KL Rahul's luck was not with him today for the toss. The Indian cricket team would have loved to bat first on the ground, but it is Sri Lanka who won the toss and elected to bat first. Pitches across the island nation are famously known for their spin-friendly surfaces, where batting first is the most preferred option. It is relatively easy to bat when the pitch is fresh, which helps the bowlers in the early stages of the match. Later, when the ball becomes rough and the pitch gets drier with cracks in the middle, it gradually becomes more difficult for the batters.
On the other side, the toss is significant from the Indian bowlers' perspective. Experienced bowlers of the team such as Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav receive an instant opportunity to test themselves on the Lankan tracks. Siraj, Jadeaj, Yadav, they are marking their returns in the format after a long gap, so there can be some rust. Through the practice match, they will be able to acclimatize to the playing circumstances in Sri Lanka.
A practice match with a bunch of star players in both teams
As both of the teams want to make a positive impact in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, India and Sri Lanka Cricket XI both name a star-studded playing combination for the practice match.
KL Rahul handed the ball to Mohammed Siraj for the first over of the match. Nishan Madushka and W. R. Ravishan Nethsara de Silva, a Sri Lanka U-19 batter, open the innings for the hosts.
