Colombo, August 7, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India captain Shubman Gill will miss the opening day of the three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) XI after sustaining an impact injury to his right ring finger during Thursday’s practice session, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Friday.
Vice-captain KL Rahul has taken over the captaincy in Gill’s absence after SLC XI won the toss and opted to bat first.
“Captain Shubman Gill sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during India’s practice on Thursday. As a precautionary measure, he will not take the field on Day 1 of the warm-up game against SLC XI. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress,” the BCCI said in a statement.
The warm-up fixture, reduced from four days to three, provides India with an important opportunity to prepare for their upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning on August 15 in Galle.
India last played Test cricket in June and will use the practice game to acclimatise to Sri Lankan conditions, where spin is traditionally expected to play a major role.
The fixture also marks the beginning of Subhadeep Ghosh’s tenure as India’s fielding coach after the BCCI opted not to renew the contracts of former fielding coach T Dilip and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.
Left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan continues his recovery from a niggle at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, while premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is unavailable due to a knee injury.
Bumrah’s absence has opened the door for Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi, who has received his maiden Test call-up. Off-spin bowling all-rounder Saransh Jain has also been included in the squad, with India preparing for Sri Lanka’s left-hand-heavy batting line-up.
India are currently fifth in the World Test Championship standings and will be looking for a strong performance in the upcoming series to improve their chances of qualifying for the final.
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