India’s injury concerns ahead of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka could deepen further, with Sai Sudharsan yet to receive fitness clearance ahead of the team’s departure.
According to Cricbuzz, Sudharsan is not expected to travel with the squad to Sri Lanka on Tuesday as he continues his recovery at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. His inclusion remains subject to medical clearance, although team management is hopeful he can join the squad later this week.
The left-handed batter is reportedly recovering from a minor niggle and has only recently resumed batting in the nets.
India’s injury list continues to grow
Sudharsan’s uncertain availability comes after India lost pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who was ruled out of the series with a left knee injury.
The injury list already includes:
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Harshit Rana
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Washington Sundar
If Sudharsan is also unavailable for the opening Test, India could head into the series without five players who were either first-choice selections or firmly in contention for the playing XI.
Sai Sudharsan had earned his place
The 24-year-old had strengthened his case for a regular Test spot with impressive performances in recent months.
Playing for India A in Sri Lanka, Sudharsan scored 168 and 132 across two unofficial Tests, showcasing his ability against spin in familiar conditions. He also impressed with an 81 against Afghanistan in the one-off Test earlier this year.
In seven Tests, the Tamil Nadu batter has scored 383 runs at an average of 31.91, including three half-centuries.
Padikkal could come into contention
Should Sudharsan fail to recover in time, Devdutt Padikkal could emerge as India’s replacement option.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter was also part of the India A squad that toured Sri Lanka and made a strong impression, scoring 67 and 94 in the two unofficial Tests.
Padikkal has featured in two Tests for India, scoring 90 runs with one half-century.
Warm-up before Galle opener
India are scheduled to play a three-day warm-up match at the NCC Grounds in Colombo starting August 7 before opening the Test series in Galle on August 15.
The second and final Test will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo from August 23.
With Bumrah already ruled out and several other key players nursing injuries, India’s preparations for the Sri Lanka series have been far from ideal. The team’s medical staff will now be hoping Sudharsan can recover in time to avoid another significant setback before the opening Test.