Vice-captain KL Rahul is leading the Indian side in absence of Shubman Gill in the three-day warm-up game vs Sri Lanka XI at NCC ground from Friday.
Published: August 7, 2026, 11:18 AM IST
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KL Rahul and Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha at the toss between Indians vs Sri Lanka XI match in Colombo on Friday(Source: X)
Indians vs Sri Lanka XI: Team India’s injury woes are continuing to pile on ahead of the first Test of two-match series against Sri Lanka beginning at Galle on August 15The visitors are already missing the services of Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy due to injuries while batter Sai Sudharsan is yet to join the squad in Sri LankaIn what will be huge blow for Team India, captain Shubman Gill has joined this injury list on Friday.
On Day 1 of their three-day warm-up game against Sri Lanka XI, Gill was missing from Indians playing 11 with vice-captain KL Rahul coming out to lead the sideThe Indian skipper has picked up a finger injury after being hit on his fingers while fielding in the slips.
Gill picked up the niggle during a training session at Nondescripts Cricket Club ground on Thursday and as result, KL Rahul is leading the side in his absenceSLC XI led by Sonal Dinusha won the toss and opted to bat in the three-day practice game.
“Captain Shubman Gill sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during India’s practice on ThursdayAs a precautionary measure, he will not take the field on Day 1 of the warm-up game against SLC XIThe BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress,” the BCCI posted on its ‘X’ handle“KL Rahul will lead the team in Gill’s absence.”
Update: Captain Shubman Gill sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during India’s practice on ThursdayAs a precautionary measure, he will not take the field on Day 1 of the warm-up game against SLC XIThe BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress.
KL Rahul… https://t.co/Mzu2yW4OgX
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 7, 2026
It remains to be seen if Gill be able to come out and bat on Days 2 and 3 on Saturday and Sunday as the Indians are expected to do majority of the batting after bowling first on the opening daySai Sudharsan, who is dealing with a toe niggle and is currently in Bengaluru’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) is yet to join the squad in Sri LankaAccording to media reports, Sudharsan is expected to arrive in Colombo on Saturday.
Bumrah has already been ruled out of the series with a knee injury and was replaced by Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi in the squad“It becomes a little difficult that you come to the ground on the morning and you come to know a player has a niggle, then it’s almost like do you want to take a chanceSome player is 80 per cent fit, you are playing with five bowlers and if this player comes out after bowling five overs, then who will bowl? This is difficultSo as a group we need improved our fitness and all those things,” Gill had said during the ODI series in England last month.
India are touring Sri Lanka for a two-Test series, starting at Galle on August 15The second Test will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground from August 23.
