Indian batter Sai Sudharsan is on track to join his teammates in Colombo by Saturday, August 8, as he continues his recovery from a minor big toe injury. The 24-year-old was not present when the Indian squad departed Mumbai for Sri Lanka on Tuesday, August 4, but is expected to be available well ahead of the first Test match, which is scheduled to begin on August 15.
While Sudharsan is anticipated to reach the island nation by the weekend, he will miss the three-day warm-up match that commences on Friday, August 7. The left-hander has already resumed batting practice at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and is currently awaiting final medical clearance from the CoE staff to travel. A vital component of Shubman Gill's Test side, particularly in the No. 3 position, Sudharsan has accumulated 383 runs across seven Tests at an average of 39, including three half-centuries.
In related developments, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially confirmed that four net bowlers—Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Tanush Kotian, and Vipraj Nigam—have traveled with the squad to assist with preparations for the Test series. The Indian team conducted their first training session at the NCC Ground on Wednesday, August 5, following their arrival in Sri Lanka. Once the three-day warm-up match concludes in Colombo on August 9, the team is slated to travel to Galle for the opening Test. The second Test of the series is set to take place in Colombo starting August 23.
