The India vs Sri Lanka Test squad had a surprise pick in Saransh Jain. The short series will be played in Galle (August 15 to 19) and Colombo (August 23 to 27). India will also play a four-day practice match from August 7 to prepare for the main assignment. Saransh’s inclusion stems from the Shubman Gill-led side’s need for a right-arm finger spinner, with Washington Sundar not fit.
India spin great Ravichandran Ashwin predicted India’s playing XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka. “Jadeja will definitely play,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “Manav Suthar took seven wickets in the last game – he’ll play. And Kuldeep Yadav should also play. That makes three spinners. I think they should go with Saransh Jain at No. 7, which leaves – No. 5 Rishabh Pant, No. 4 Shubman Gill, No. 3 Devdutt Padikkal or Sai Sudharsan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and KL Rahul. That leaves two fast-bowler spots.”
While Sai Sudharsan and Jasprit Bumrah have been included, their availability will be subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
“First, I think India’s biggest loss here could be Sai Sudharsan’s fitness because he scored two centuries recently in the India ‘A’ series – one of them was at Galle, which has unique conditions. The wind, how the ball turns, the angles – it takes time to learn all that. But he made a hundred there. If he stays fit, it could be an advantage for India. His confidence will be high. And Sri Lanka always depend on spin – Sai Sudharsan is a good player of spin. So he could be useful. I hope he’s fit, and it shouldn’t be a setback,” he said.
“Devdutt Padikkal getting a chance in his place is not a bad thing. He has been a brilliant performer in domestic cricket. But I’d prefer Sudharsan to take his form into Test cricket.”
India’s squad for the Tests against Sri Lanka: Shubman Gill (C), KL Rahul (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah*, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain.
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