Devdutt Padikkal and Prasidh Krishna are set to make the playing 11 for Shubman Gill’s Team India for the first Test vs Sri Lanka beginning in Galle on Saturday.
Updated: August 14, 2026, 4:58 PM IST
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India’s Devdutt Padikkal bats in the nets in Galle on Friday(Photo: ANI)
IND vs SL 2026 1st Test: Shubman Gill and Team India need to make plenty of changes in their playing 11 as they begin a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium on SaturdayWith Jasprit Bumrah, Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar ruled out of the series, there will be plenty of inexperience in the visitors line-up.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Devdutt Padikkal has grabbed the No3 position in the batting line-up left vacant by Sudharsan’s injuryPadikkal scored a brilliant 143 in the three-day practice match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI at Colombo last week.
Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings batter Sarfaraz Khan has been called up as replacement for Sudharsan in the squad but is unlikely to make the cut for first Test in GalleIndia are likely to go in with Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel in the middle-order at the No6 position.
“So, even for the players that are coming in, not everyone is going to have a huge amount of success from the first TestSome players require a little bit more timeBut Devdutt is someone who has been here before, he was here with IndiaHe did really wellAnd he has got all the skills and all the, you know, all the potential to be able to succeed in this format,” Gill said about Padikkal at the pre-match press conference on Friday.
India are expected to go in with three left-arm spinners – Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar, who is set to take the No8 position in the line-upMohammed Siraj will lead the pace bowling attack in absence of Jasprit Bumrah with Prasidh Krishna set to get the nod ahead of Gurnoor Brar.
“He (Gurnoor Brar) is excellent with the old ballYou need that extra pace, extra bounceHe’s obviously very tall as wellBut I think Prasidh recently has been bowling the best that I have ever seen him bowlIn the red ball and also in white ballSo it would be a very tough decision for us to be able to just pick one,” Gill said.
Meanwhile, Dhananjay de Silva’s Sri Lanka will miss the services of Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka in the series due to injuriesLahiru Udara had retained his opening berth and will be joined by Nishan Madushka, who scored a pair of half-centuries in the practice game against India.
Niroshan Dickwella, who is set to play his first Test since 2023, is going to take up the gloves behind the stumps while all-rounder Sonal Dinusha can join Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya in a three-man spin attack for the hostsAsitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara could share the new ball for the Lankans at Galle.
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India vs Sri Lanka 2026 1st Test match Predicted 11
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Sri Lanka: Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara
