India face three concerns ahead of Sri Lanka Test series

India will begin a two-Test tour of Sri Lanka on August 15 at Galle International Cricket Stadium, with the second Test starting on August 23; it is their first Test visit to Sri Lanka since 2017. Despite recent struggles in red-ball cricket, India enter the series as favourites.

India enjoy a dominant record against Sri Lanka and have not lost a Test series to them since 2008. They are expected to do well and win the series and will be looking to improve recent results to remain in the race for the WTC final.

A major bowling concern is the absence of Jasprit Bumrah: Jasprit Bumrah is currently the No. 1 ranked bowler in Test cricket, and his unavailability is described as a massive blow for the Men in Blue. India have other frontline options in Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, but the squad cannot rely on three bowlers alone to take 20 wickets in a Test match, so finding the right combination is critical.

Several members of the touring attack lack experience in Sri Lankan conditions: Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi and Saransh Jain have not played much in Sri Lanka, and more than half of the players in the current squad have not played an international game on Sri Lankan soil. That inexperience increases the challenge of adapting quickly to local pitches.

India’s middle order remains unsettled after the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and the injury to Sai Sudharsan. Devdutt Padikkal and Sarfaraz Khan are not described as first-choice middle-order batsmen, while Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel have been a little below par in recent assignments. The absence of Washington Sundar and the occasional availability of Ravindra Jadeja removes lower-order depth that has bailed India out of pressure situations many times.

Facing Sri Lankan spinners and batting against an older ball in Sri Lanka are singled out as specific tactical challenges; records cited in the coverage indicate batting in Sri Lanka becomes one of the toughest challenges once the ball gets old, so the team and management must assess conditions and plan accordingly. India’s recent UK tour and an overall decline in red-ball form have already raised questions on Gautam Gambhir and Co., and the report notes that India’s habit of experimentation has cost them important matches at times.

Sarfaraz Khan has replaced Sai Sudharsan in the Indian squad for the SL vs IND Test series.