- Sai Sudharsan ruled out; Sarfaraz Khan frontrunner for recall.
- Sarfaraz’s strong domestic record bolsters his Test recall candidacy.
- Devdutt Padikkal’s warm-up century creates batting selection debate.
India have suffered another setback ahead of their two-Test series against Sri Lanka, with Sai Sudharsan ruled out of the tour due to a toe injury. According to RevSportz Journalist Rohit Juglan, Sarfaraz Khan is now the frontrunner to replace the left-handed batter in India’s squad.
The development comes at an interesting time for Sarfaraz, who recently shared an emotional Instagram Story after being overlooked for the original Sri Lanka squad. “I may not fit in, but I’ll fight with everything I’ve got,” the Mumbai batter wrote.
Sarfaraz could now get another opportunity to fight his way back into India’s Test setup, with Sudharsan’s injury potentially opening the door for his return.
India will begin the two-match series in Galle on August 15, followed by the second Test in Colombo from August 23. Jasprit Bumrah is also unavailable after failing to recover from a knee injury, with uncapped pacer Auqib Nabi named as his replacement.
Sarfaraz Khan In Line For India Recall
Sudharsan did not travel to Sri Lanka with the Indian team and has been continuing his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. According to RevSportz, he has not recovered in time to feature in the Test series.
Sarfaraz is reportedly the leading candidate to take his place.
The 28-year-old last played for India during the 2024 home Test series against New Zealand. He scored 171 runs in six innings, including a memorable 150 in the opening Test, and finished as India’s third-highest run-scorer in the series.
However, a run of low scores subsequently saw him lose his place. He was not selected for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy or the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Sarfaraz has scored 371 runs in 11 Test innings at an average of 37.10, including one century and three half-centuries.
Strong Domestic Record Keeps Sarfaraz In Contention
Sarfaraz’s case is also backed by his continued performances in red-ball cricket.
The Mumbai batter scored 429 runs in seven matches during the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy at an average of 53.62. His ability against spin and his effectiveness with sweep shots could make him particularly useful in Sri Lankan conditions.
Sudharsan’s absence is a blow for India after his outstanding India A tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year. He finished as the leading run-scorer with 332 runs in four innings at an average of 166.00, including two centuries and a best score of 168.
His injury has now potentially created an opportunity for Sarfaraz, who had appeared to be outside India’s immediate plans despite his domestic record.
Devdutt Padikkal Adds To Selection Debate With Century
Meanwhile, Devdutt Padikkal strengthened his own case during India’s three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI.
After Sri Lanka Cricket XI declared their first innings at 363/8, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal for a two-ball duck on the second day.
Padikkal was then used at No.3 and responded with a century, putting together a 96-run partnership with KL Rahul, who made 40 off 67 balls.
The left-hander reached 103 from 121 deliveries, hitting 14 fours, before retiring out. At the time of his departure, India were 168/2 after 40 overs, with Ravindra Jadeja unbeaten on 23 and Rishabh Pant yet to score.
Ravindu Rasantha had earlier top-scored with 71 for Sri Lanka Cricket XI, while Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar claimed two wickets apiece for India. Gurnoor Brar took one wicket.
With Sudharsan now ruled out and Padikkal making a strong case at No.3, India’s batting combination for the first Test has become another talking point ahead of the series.
