IND vs SL 2nd Test Preview: Injury-Hit Sri Lanka Draft In Two Uncapped Players for a Must-Win Colombo Decider
Sri Lanka arrive at their must-win second Test against India carrying more than just a 1-0 series deficit. After a bruising 165-run defeat in Galle, the hosts have been forced into a fairly significant reshuffle for the Colombo Test, with a genuine injury crisis eating into their batting depth just when they can least afford it. Two uncapped players, Kamil Mishara and Sahan Arachchige, have been drafted in as a result тАФ and both could find themselves thrown straight into the XI.
Match Details
- Fixture: India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test (series decider)
- Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground, Colombo
- Dates: August 23тАУ27, 2026
- Series situation: India lead 1-0 after their 165-run win in Galle
Sri Lanka’s Injury Crisis
Head coach Gary Kirsten didn’t sugarcoat things heading into this Test тАФ Sri Lanka will be without three established batters, and each absence has its own story. Kusal Mendis is out with a serious hamstring injury picked up during the Lanka Premier League and is expected to be unavailable for some time. Pathum Nissanka remains sidelined as he continues his recovery from wrist surgery. And Dinesh Chandimal, who was withdrawn from the Galle Test after a nasty fall on Day 4 that required him to be hospitalised for scans, is ruled out under mandatory concussion protocols, which require players to sit out for at least seven days.
That’s a significant chunk of experience missing from a batting order that already struggled to deal with India’s spin attack in the series opener.
Enter Mishara and Arachchige
Sri Lanka’s response has been to lean on domestic form rather than reshuffle their existing options. Kamil Mishara earns his call-up after a red-hot run in domestic cricket, including a blistering 145 off just 72 balls, and with regular opener Nishan Madushka dropped from the squad entirely, Mishara looks the likely candidate to open the batting in only his first Test appearance. Sahan Arachchige, meanwhile, gets his chance after finishing as the leading run-scorer in a recent unofficial series between the two countries’ ‘A’ teams, highlighted by a knock of 127.
Both arrive with essentially no Test experience, which is a considerable gamble for a side that simply has to win this match to keep the series alive тАФ but given the alternative was picking from an already-tested top order that failed in Galle, it’s an understandable roll of the dice.
Sri Lanka’s Full Squad
- Dhananjaya de Silva (captain)
- Kamindu Mendis (vice-captain)
- Lahiru Udara
- Kamil Mishara
- Pasindu Sooriyabandara
- Sahan Arachchige
- Sonal Dinusha
- Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper)
- Keshara Nuwantha
- Prabath Jayasuriya
- Milan Ratnayake
- Lahiru Kumara
- Asitha Fernando
- Vishwa Fernando
Why This Test Matters So Much for Sri Lanka
Losing this Test doesn’t just mean dropping the series тАФ it also has real consequences on the World Test Championship table, where Sri Lanka currently sit sixth, just below India. A home series loss against a young, transitioning Indian side would be a difficult result to swallow, particularly after the manner of the Galle defeat, where Manav Suthar’s 10-wicket match haul did most of the damage. Sri Lanka’s spinners will need to find similar answers on a surface that traditionally offers turn as a match wears on, while their reshuffled batting line-up will be under enormous pressure from the very first session.
India’s Position
India, by contrast, arrive with plenty of momentum and largely the same combination that worked so well in Galle. Devdutt Padikkal’s twin knocks and Manav Suthar’s breakout performance with the ball give the visitors both a settled top order and a spin option that Sri Lanka simply didn’t have an answer for in the first Test. A win here would give India a series sweep and a big haul of World Test Championship points, while a draw or worse would still leave them ahead on the table given their 1-0 lead.
What to Watch For
- Mishara’s Test debut: Whether a domestic white-ball form burst translates into the red-ball discipline needed to open in Test cricket.
- Sri Lanka’s reshuffled middle order: With three regulars missing, this is close to the most inexperienced batting unit Sri Lanka have fielded in some time.
- Can Manav Suthar back up Galle? His 10-wicket haul in the series opener was a breakout performance тАФ Sri Lanka’s revamped top order will be desperate not to suffer the same fate.
- SSC pitch conditions: A different surface to Galle, and one that could behave quite differently by the back end of the Test.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When and where is the IND vs SL 2nd Test being played?
The match is being played at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in Colombo, from August 23 to 27, 2026.
Which Sri Lankan players have been ruled out?
Kusal Mendis (hamstring injury), Pathum Nissanka (recovering from wrist surgery), and Dinesh Chandimal (concussion protocols after a Day 4 fall in Galle) are all unavailable.
Who has been added to Sri Lanka’s squad?
Uncapped batter Kamil Mishara and all-rounder Sahan Arachchige have been called up as replacements.
What is the series situation heading into this Test?
India lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Galle by 165 runs.
Who is captaining Sri Lanka?
Dhananjaya de Silva continues as captain, with Kamindu Mendis as vice-captain.
What does this Test mean for the WTC standings?
Sri Lanka currently sit sixth in the World Test Championship 2025-27 table, just below India, making this a significant match for both sides’ points tally.
