Dinesh Chandimal ruled out after head injury; Pasindu Sooriyabandara called up in Galle Test

Dinesh Chandimal did not bat in Sri Lanka’s second innings of the first Test against India at the Galle International Stadium after suffering a head and neck injury while fielding during the morning session of Day 4 of India’s tour of Sri Lanka 2026. He left the field immediately for assessment and hospital checks.

India posted 462 in their first innings, featuring Devdutt Padikkal’s maiden Test hundred, and held a 178-run lead; the match later saw an innings in which India were bowled out for 193. Chasing a large target, Sri Lanka’s top order struggled and the hosts finished Day 4 on 84/4, with captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha adding stability and reaching half-centuries on Day 5.

The injury to Chandimal occurred in the fourth over of India’s innings while he was fielding in the deep. He sprinted to the boundary to stop a ball struck by KL Rahul, landed heavily, injured his neck and struck his head on the ground.

Following the incident he was removed from play and taken to hospital for precautionary scans. After assessment by the medical team Chandimal was deemed unable to continue due to a concussion and was replaced under the concussion-substitute rule.

Pasindu Sooriyabandara, a 26-year-old Sri Lankan youngster, came on as the concussion substitute and made his Test debut. Chandimal had earlier been dismissed for 4 in Sri Lanka’s first innings, and his absence was described as a massive blow to Sri Lanka’s batting plans ahead of the chase.

The medical staff officially ruled Chandimal out of the remainder of the Test. Pasindu Sooriyabandara was confirmed as the concussion substitute for Sri Lanka.