Sarfaraz Khan replaces injured Sai Sudharsan for two Tests in Sri Lanka

Sarfaraz Khan has been added to India's squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka after Sai Sudharsan was ruled out with a toe injury.

The Mumbai batter will join the Indian team ahead of the first Test, which begins in Galle on August 15. The BCCI confirmed the change on Sunday, bringing Sarfaraz back into the Test setup.

"The men's Selection Committee has named Sarfaraz Khan as a replacement for Sai Sudharsan for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka," the BCCI said in a statement.

"He will link up with the Indian squad in Colombo before the team travels to Galle for the first Test match, starting August 15, 2026."

Sudharsan picked up the injury during the India A tour of Sri Lanka last month. He was hit on the toe during the second unofficial Test and has since been recovering at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

The left-hander had made a strong case for his place in the Indian Test team after scoring two centuries in the two India A matches. However, his recovery has taken longer than expected.

The BCCI said Sudharsan has made significant progress, but the medical team continues to monitor his condition. He needs more time for the injury to heal before he can safely return to Test cricket.

His absence opens the door for Devdutt Padikkal to make his Test debut at No. 3. Padikkal strengthened his case during the recent practice game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI, scoring an unbeaten 142 in India's first innings.

The Karnataka batter was one of India's standout performers in the three-day match and is now likely to be given the responsibility of filling the vacant No. 3 spot.

Sarfaraz, meanwhile, brings international experience to the squad. The 28-year-old has played six Tests for India, with his last appearance coming against New Zealand in Mumbai in 2024. He has a strong first-class record and will provide another middle-order option to the team management.

India's updated squad includes Shubman Gill as captain, KL Rahul as vice-captain, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi and Sarfaraz Khan.

What happened in the warm-up match?

India beat Sri Lanka Cricket XI by six wickets in the three-day warm-up match. Sri Lanka XI declared at 363/8 before India made 357/6, led by Padikkal's 142. The hosts then declared their second innings at 200/6, setting India 207 to win.

Jaiswal hit 61 and Shubman Gill scored 44 before Mohammed Siraj smashed 32 off 15 balls, including three sixes, to finish the chase at 214/4. India won with 30 balls to spare.