India hold edge as Sri Lanka aim to draw level in second Test at Colombo

India lead Sri Lanka 1-0 as the teams meet in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on Sunday, August 22, 2026. The tourists arrive with an advantage after a 165-run victory in Galle.

After the win at Galle, Shubman Gill’s side have relocated from the coastal setting of Galle to the bustling metropolis of Colombo, where the second Test begins at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground. The pitch at the venue was described as a dull brown bordered by a green outfield and rolled-up covers, and the surface is expected to offer initial assistance to batters before becoming more favorable to spinners. The usual pattern of early purchase for batters followed by spin-friendly conditions was specifically noted for this venue.

India’s batting so far has depended heavily on vice-captain K.L. Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal, and the visitors will look for Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill to contribute more. Dhruv Jurel has provided runs in the middle order while Rishabh Pant has been described as ‘‘his robust self’’. Ravindra Jadeja offers lower-order batting solidity but India’s tail has been described as fragile, placing the onus for scoring on the specialist batters. Facing Sri Lanka’s spinners in Colombo’s heat was identified as a test of patience and technique for the Indian batting line-up.

Among India’s bowlers Mohammed Siraj remains the spearhead, with Prasidh Krishna having made breakthroughs at Galle. The spin department was characterised as ‘‘sorted’’ with Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja in the XI, though a selection change between Kuldeep Yadav and Saransh Jain was mentioned as possible. Saransh Jain’s off-spin was highlighted as potentially useful against left-handed batters.

For Sri Lanka the match presents a chance to draw level in the series, but they will be without Dinesh Chandimal, who is dealing with a concussion. Sonal Dinusha’s batting in the first Test was singled out as a positive sign, but senior batsmen were noted as needing to contribute bigger scores to apply scoreboard pressure on India. A Test debut for Kamil Mishara was described as being on the cards after the southpaw scored an unbeaten 145 in a recent domestic T20, with a caveat that he would have to temper his aggression in the longer format.

Sri Lanka’s attack is expected to rely heavily on spinners Prabath Jayasuriya and Keshara Nuwantha, and their ability to trouble the Indian batters was identified as a key factor in how the match unfolds. The report noted that India had landed early, played a warm-up game and secured the Galle Test, while Sri Lanka were prepared to try to ambush the visitors in Colombo. That preparation and intent framed the context for the second Test.

India: Shubman Gill (captain), K.L. Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain.

Sri Lanka: Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis, Sahan Arachchige, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella (wicket-keeper), Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Milan Rathnayaka, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando.

Play starts at 10 a.m. IST, with India seeking to maintain their 1-0 lead in the series.