Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal ruled out of Colombo Test, Pathum Nissanka doubtful

Sri Lanka will be without Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal for the second Test against India in Colombo, the hosts confirmed on August 19, 2026. Pathum Nissanka remains a doubt for the match.

Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten said Mendis suffered a hamstring injury during the Lanka Premier League and would be sidelined. "Kusal Mendis has got a proper hamstring injury. He's not going to be available for a while," Kirsten said; he also confirmed Nissanka and Chandimal would not be available for the next Test.

Niroshan Dickwella has been drafted into the Test squad as Mendis' replacement and scored 80 in Sri Lanka's first innings at Galle. Pasindu Sooriyabandara, who came on as a concussion substitute for Chandimal, was dismissed for a first-ball duck.

Kirsten reported Nissanka is recovering from wrist surgery and said Chandimal picked up a neck and shoulder injury while fielding during the first Test. Those absences leave Sri Lanka with a significant selection task ahead of the Colombo match.

Sri Lanka were reduced to 99 for 5 in their first innings at Galle but extended the contest into the fifth day, a resilience Kirsten highlighted. "From being 99 for 5 at the beginning of the third day, to then taking the Test match into the afternoon of the fifth day was particularly pleasing. There was a bit of fight and that we were keen to try and stay in the Test match," he said. "We still believed even this morning that we could make something happen, either win the Test match or certainly draw it. So, I was really pleased with the energy and the attitude of the team around that."

Kirsten said he was encouraged by the team's development while also noting recent results, including Sri Lanka's loss to India and a heavy defeat by the West Indies in June. "I'm particularly excited by being involved with Sri Lankan cricket. I think there's some great players here, but the team still needs to develop. It is sometimes tough when you don't play Test match cricket to understand how you need to play that," he said. "This is now our third Test match in the space of a couple of months and I can already see the team developing and we're starting to build some shape into the team. But we need to be able to turn it into a performance at some point. But as I said, we're kind of building that and developing that as best we can."

Kirsten also pointed to opportunities arising from the absences, saying: "So, we're missing a few guys from that perspective but it creates a great opportunity for young players to come in and stake their claim. In fact, players that have got really good first-class records in this country. So it's a good opportunity for them."

Sri Lanka must win the Colombo Test to level the two-match series after India took a 1-0 lead by beating Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the opening Test at Galle.