Sri Lanka have made changes to their squad for the second Test against India in Colombo, with Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis both ruled out injured.

Chandimal was sidelined after sustaining a concussion during the first Test at Galle, while Mendis missed the entire opener with a hamstring injury.

Uncapped players Kamil Mishara and Sahan Arachchige have been brought into the squad on the back of strong domestic form.

Arachchige’s selection comes after he scored 127 for Sri Lanka A against India A.

Sri Lanka’s pace bowling options for the Test include Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando and Milan Ratnayake, with Prabath Jayasuriya and Keshara Nuwantha as spin options.

The reshuffle comes with Sri Lanka trailing 0-1 in the series following India’s 165-run win at Galle, with opener Pathum Nissanka also out as he continues recovering from wrist surgery.

India go into the Colombo Test already holding a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, meaning a win or draw would be enough to seal a series victory.

The Galle Test was the opening fixture of India’s tour of Sri Lanka, with both sides having fielded largely unchanged squads before the injury disruptions that followed.

Sri Lanka’s selectors have historically leaned on domestic performances to fill sudden squad gaps, a pattern repeated again with the call-ups of Mishara and Arachchige for this Test.

Devdutt Padikkal’s 167 in the first innings at Galle was a maiden Test century, an innings that laid the foundation for India’s eventual 165-run victory.

Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar finished with a 10-wicket haul across the match at Galle, the standout bowling performance of the opening Test of the series.

The second Test will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, starting August 23, a venue with different conditions to the spin-friendly pitch used at Galle.

Photo by Price Zero, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test at Galle International Stadium, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar was the standout performer with a 10-wicket haul across the match, including a six-wicket return in the second innings, his second five-wicket haul of the game.

Devdutt Padikkal’s 167 in the first innings, his maiden Test century, had earlier given India a 178-run first-innings lead after the hosts were bowled out for 284 in reply to India’s 462.

Sri Lanka’s chase in the fourth innings never gathered momentum as Suthar and India’s other bowlers worked through the batting order, sealing the win inside four days despite rain interruptions earlier in the match.

The result gives India a 1-0 lead heading into the second and final Test of the series, which begins on August 23 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo.

India will look to seal a series win at the SSC, a venue with a different character to Galle, while Sri Lanka will be under pressure to level the series on home soil.

Sri Lanka’s first innings of 284 had been built around a 146-run stand between Sonal Dinusha, who scored a maiden Test century, and wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella, who made 80, after the hosts had slipped to 90 for 5.

The victory extends India’s strong recent record in away Test series, with the squad still settling into a new captaincy structure under Shubman Gill following the retirements of several senior players.

Suthar’s match haul of ten wickets is the best of his young Test career so far, and comes after he had already contributed with the ball during India’s warm-up fixture against Sri Lanka Cricket XI earlier this month.

India’s spin-heavy attack, which also includes Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, is expected to play a central role again at the SSC in Colombo, a venue that has traditionally offered turn for slow bowlers as a Test progresses.

Photo by Price Zero, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

India built a 178-run lead over Sri Lanka on day three of the opening Test in Galle, with rain ending play early on Monday.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 284 in reply to India’s first-innings total of 462, anchored by Devdutt Padikkal’s 167 and a 51 from Dhruv Jurel.

Sri Lanka were reduced to 90 for 5 at one point, with Manav Suthar striking early, before Sonal Dinusha’s maiden Test century and Niroshan Dickwella’s 80 helped forge a 146-run stand.

Ravindra Jadeja and Suthar each picked up three wickets as India’s spin attack eventually closed out the Sri Lankan innings.

Dark clouds, strong winds and rain over Galle International Stadium prompted umpires to call an early end to day three’s play.

Play is due to resume at 9:45 am IST on day four, with two days left in the opening Test of the two-match series.

Devdutt Padikkal’s 167 continued a rich vein of form for the young batter, who had already scored twin centuries in India’s warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI earlier this month.

India’s spin-heavy attack, featuring Jadeja, Suthar and Kuldeep Yadav, is expected to play a central role again once play resumes, with the Galle surface traditionally offering increasing turn as a Test progresses.

Sri Lanka were reduced to 90 for 5 in their first innings before Dinusha and Dickwella’s 146-run partnership steadied the innings and dragged the hosts closer to India’s total.

India’s first innings total of 462 was built on Devdutt Padikkal’s 167, with useful contributions from KL Rahul and a 51 from Dhruv Jurel lower down the order.

Sri Lanka’s recovery ultimately fell short as India’s spin attack, led by Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar with three wickets each, wrapped up the innings for 284.

The Galle Test is the opening fixture of a two-match series, with two days of play remaining and India holding a substantial first-innings advantage heading into day four.

Photo by Price Zero, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0