Shubman Gill secured his third toss win in nine Tests as captain and opted to bat first on a pitch at Galle that is expected to favor bowlers less than the venue typically does. The surface featured an even covering of grass with no dry patches, leading to expectations that it might offer some seam movement early on as moisture evaporates, before settling into a surface conducive to batting.
India made a forced change to their lineup, bringing in left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal to replace the injured B Sai Sudharsan at the No. 3 position. The rest of the Indian XI followed anticipated patterns, featuring three left-arm spinners alongside fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. This match marks India's 600th appearance in Test cricket.
Sri Lanka introduced a surprise element to their side by handing a debut to 25-year-old offspinner Keshara Nuwantha, who was selected ahead of Ramesh Mendis. Elsewhere in the team, Nishan Madushka was brought in as a replacement for the injured opener Pathum Nissanka, and Niroshan Dickwella made his return to Test cricket after a three-year absence. This encounter also serves as the 50th Test match hosted at the Galle venue.
Both teams currently find themselves in the middle of the World Test Championship standings. A 2-0 series clean sweep is seen as essential for either side to maintain a realistic path toward qualifying for the championship final.
India's playing XI consists of 1 KL Rahul, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Dhruv Jurel, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Manav Suthar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Siraj, and 11 Prasidh Krishna. Sri Lanka's side features 1 Lahiru Udara, 2 Nishan Madushka, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Kamindu Mendis, 5 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Sonal Dinusha, 8 Prabath Jayasuriya, 9 Keshara Nuwantha, 10 Asitha Fernando, and 11 Lahiru Kumara.
Devdutt PadikkalKeshara NuwanthaSri LankaIndiaSri Lanka vs IndiaIndia tour of Sri LankaICC World Test Championship
