India have suffered a major setback ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, with left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan ruled out due to injury. According to RevSportz, Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan is the frontrunner to replace him in the Indian squad for the upcoming red-ball assignment.
India are already without premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who was ruled out after failing to recover from a knee injury. Uncapped pacer Auqib Nabi has replaced Bumrah in the squad. The Test series will begin on August 15 in Galle, with the second match scheduled to start on August 23 in Colombo.
Sarfaraz Khan Likely to Replace Injured Sai Sudharsan
Sai Sudharsan did not travel to Sri Lanka with the Indian squad as he continued his rehabilitation for a toe injury at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. According to RevSportz, the left-handed batter has failed to recover in time for the two-match Test series.
Break - Sarfaraz Khan most likely to replace Sai Sudarshan
— Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) August 8, 2026
Sarfaraz Khan is the leading candidate to replace Sudharsan in the squad. The Mumbai batter last played for India during the home Test series against New Zealand in 2024. He finished as India's third-highest run-scorer with 171 runs in six innings, including a superb 150 in the opening Test.
Sarfaraz lost his place after a string of low scores. The right-hander was left out of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He has scored 371 runs in 11 Test innings at an average of 37.10, with one century and three half-centuries.
Sarfaraz Khan's Performances in Tests and Domestic Cricket
Sarfaraz Khan made an impressive Test debut against England in 2024 after years of outstanding performances in domestic cricket. He smashed twin half-centuries despite repeated selection setbacks.
The 28-year-old enjoyed another productive Ranji Trophy campaign in 2025-26, scoring 429 runs in seven matches at an average of 53.62. His ability to handle spin and score freely with sweep shots makes him a strong option in subcontinent conditions.
Sudharsan's injury is a major setback for India, especially after his excellent performances on the India A tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year. The Tamil Nadu batter finished as the leading run-scorer with 332 runs in four innings at an average of 166.00, including two centuries and a highest score of 168.
Devdutt Padikkal Scores Century in India's Warm-Up Match
India began their three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI on August 7. After winning the toss, SLC XI declared their first innings at 363/8 in 90 overs, with Ravindu Rasantha top-scoring with 71.
Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Manav Suthar picked up two wickets each for India, while Gurnoor Brar claimed one wicket. India then suffered an early blow as Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a two-ball duck on Day 2.
With Sudharsan unavailable, Devdutt Padikkal batted at No. 3 and added a 96-run partnership with KL Rahul, who scored 40 off 67 balls. Padikkal brought up an excellent century before retiring hurt on 103 from 121 deliveries, hitting 14 fours.
At the time of Padikkal's retirement, India had reached 168/2 in 40 overs. Ravindra Jadeja was unbeaten on 23 from 48 balls, with Rishabh Pant yet to open his account. India continued their preparations for the opening Test in Galle.
