Sri Lanka’s preparations for next month’s home Test series against India have suffered an early setback after one of their most important players picked up an injury during the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL).
The development has raised fresh questions over his availability with the Test series now fast approaching.
Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batter and white-ball captain Kusal Mendis has been ruled out of the rest of the Lanka Premier League after suffering a hamstring injury.
Mendis picked up the injury while playing for Colombo Kaps during their six-wicket win over Kandy Royals at the SSC in Colombo on Sunday. He was leading the franchise this season before the injury brought his campaign to an early end.
Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed that Mendis will now begin his rehabilitation under the supervision of the national medical team.
‘Mendis sustained a right hamstring injury while attempting a run during the Colombo Kaps’ match against the Kandy Royals on 19 July at the SSC, Colombo. Accordingly, he will return to the National High Performance Centre to commence his rehabilitation program,’ an SLC media release said.
The injury comes at a crucial time, with Sri Lanka set to host India in a two-match Test series starting on August 15.
Although Sri Lanka Cricket has not announced how long Mendis is expected to be out, his fitness will be closely monitored over the coming weeks. The experienced wicketkeeper-batter is expected to play a key role for Sri Lanka if he recovers in time.
The series is part of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship cycle.
The opening Test will be played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, while the second match will take place at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
The injury has interrupted what has been an excellent year for Mendis across all formats.
He made a strong start to the Lanka Premier League by scoring a fluent 79 off 53 balls against Galle Gallants.
Before returning home, Mendis also enjoyed a superb Pakistan Super League campaign, scoring 550 runs in 11 innings at a remarkable strike rate of 168.19.
Mendis has been one of the most consistent performers for Sri Lanka this year.
In T20 internationals, he has scored 408 runs from 14 innings at a strike rate of 130.35.
He has also impressed in ODI cricket, scoring 211 runs in four innings at an average of 70.33.
With the India Test series just weeks away, Sri Lanka will hope their in-form batter recovers quickly. His experience, wicket-keeping skills and consistent run-scoring make him one of the team’s most valuable players and his fitness could play a major role in Sri Lanka’s chances against India.