SL XI vs India Practice Match, Day 1: Hosts Pile Up 363/8 as Indian Bowlers Struggle in Colombo

India’s tour of Sri Lanka got off to an uncomfortable start on Friday, and it had nothing to do with the Test series that’s still over a week away. The three-day warm-up fixture against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI at the Nondescripts Cricket Club in Colombo turned into a proper reality check for the touring bowlers, with the hosts piling on 363 for 8 in 90 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

It wasn’t the preparation India would have wanted heading into the first Test at Galle on August 15, especially with the squad already carrying a couple of injury concerns before a ball had even been bowled.

Shubman Gill Ruled Out After Finger Blow in Nets

The team’s first real scare came before play started. India captain Shubman Gill was hit on the finger while batting in the nets and didn’t take the field, with KL Rahul stepping in to lead the side for the warm-up game. It’s not yet clear how serious the issue is, but with the first Test just over a week away, it’s the kind of injury India will be watching closely over the next few days.

Gill’s absence added to an already stretched batting and bowling group. India are already without Jasprit Bumrah, who has been replaced in the squad by uncapped pacer Auqib Nabi, while No. 3 batter Sai Sudharsan is yet to join the squad in Sri Lanka. Nabi didn’t get a game on Day 1 either, with Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar handed the new ball duties instead.

Sri Lanka’s Openers Set the Tone

Put simply, the Indian attack never found any rhythm. Openers Nishan Madushka and Ravindu Rasantha put on 110 for the first wicket inside 21 overs, cashing in on a surface that offered next to nothing for the seamers. Madushka, who has played a dozen Tests for Sri Lanka and is pushing for a recall with Kusal Mendis expected to miss the Galle Test, looked especially fluent — he raced to a 54-ball fifty before eventually being run out for 66, in a mix-up where Rasantha sent him back too late and a wayward throw from Manav Suthar couldn’t be cleaned up in time.

Rasantha carried on from there, eventually falling for 71 off 143 balls — the first wicket of the day for an Indian bowler, with Suthar getting the breakthrough after Siraj held on to the catch at long-off.

Middle Order Cashes In Before Late Fightback

Sri Lanka kept the runs flowing through the middle overs. Pasindu Sooriyabandara made 35 before Ravindra Jadeja got him, and Pavan Rathnayake added 39 before holing out to Gurnoor Brar right on the stroke of tea. By that stage the hosts were 246 for 4 — a genuinely strong position for a warm-up fixture.

India did claw back some control after tea, largely through the spin of Kuldeep Yadav, who was coming into the tour on the back of a productive white-ball stint with Yorkshire. He removed Ahan Wickramasinghe for 31 and then trapped wicketkeeper Anjala Bandara in front for 13, giving India two quick wickets in the same passage of play. Jadeja picked up his second when Ramesh Mendis edged to slip for 32, and Suthar returned to get rid of home captain Sonal Dinusha for a well-made 52.

Even with those wickets falling, Sri Lanka closed the day well ahead in the contest, finishing on 363 for 8.

Day 1 Scorecard Snapshot — Sri Lanka XI

• Nishan Madushka – 66 (run out)
• Ravindu Rasantha – 71 (c Siraj b Suthar)
• Pasindu Sooriyabandara – 35 (b Jadeja)
• Pavan Rathnayake – 39 (c Padikkal b Brar)
• Ahan Wickramasinghe – 31 (b Kuldeep Yadav)
• Anjala Bandara – 13 (lbw b Kuldeep Yadav)
• Ramesh Mendis – 32 (c Padikkal b Jadeja)
• Sonal Dinusha (c) – 52 (b Suthar)
• Total: 363/8 in 90 overs

Indian Bowling

• Kuldeep Yadav – 2 wickets
• Ravindra Jadeja – 2 wickets
• Manav Suthar – 2 wickets
• Gurnoor Brar – 1 wicket

What This Means for India’s Test Preparation

Warm-up games rarely tell you much about the actual series that follows, but this one has still given India’s management a few things to think about. The pitch at the NCC has offered almost nothing for the seamers so far, and the bowling lengths from India’s quicks were, by most accounts, a little rusty on the day — understandable this early into a tour, but something they’ll want to sharpen up before Galle. On the flip side, the second-half fightback from Jadeja, Kuldeep and Suthar will offer some reassurance, since spin is likely to play a bigger role once the series proper gets underway.

India will bat next, with all eyes on how the batting unit — missing Gill for now — responds on Day 2. The bigger story to track over the next 24 hours, though, is the extent of Gill’s finger injury and whether it has any bearing on his availability for the first Test.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Where is the India vs Sri Lanka XI practice match being played?

The three-day warm-up match is being played at the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) Ground in Colombo, from August 7 to 9, 2026.

Why did Shubman Gill not play the practice match?

Gill was hit on the finger while batting in the nets ahead of the match and did not take the field. KL Rahul led the side in his absence.

What was Sri Lanka XI’s score at the end of Day 1?

Sri Lanka Cricket XI finished Day 1 on 363 for 8 in 90 overs after being put in to bat.

Who were the top scorers for Sri Lanka XI?

Ravindu Rasantha (71) and captain Sonal Dinusha (52) were the top scorers, with Nishan Madushka also making a rapid 66 before being run out.

Which Indian bowlers took wickets on Day 1?

Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar picked up two wickets each, while Gurnoor Brar took one.

When does the first Test between India and Sri Lanka begin?

The first Test starts on August 15, 2026, at the Galle International Stadium, followed by the second Test in Colombo (SSC) from August 23 to 27.