Shubman Gill returns to nets in Colombo; fitness to be reassessed before Galle Test
India captain Shubman Gill was seen batting in the nets on Sunday during India's warm-up preparations in Colombo ahead of the first Test in Galle, part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27. He had sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger on August 06, 2026 and was rested for the opening day of the three-day warm-up match.
The two-match series forms a component of the WTC 2025-27 cycle and India began their preparations with a three-day warm-up game against a Sri Lanka XI in Colombo. Team management is working to settle the squad combination for the opening Test, which is scheduled to start on August 15 in Galle. Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the tour due to a knee injury and several young domestic players were added as net bowlers to help batters prepare for spin-friendly conditions.
India produced a positive showing in the practice match, with Devdutt Padikkal scoring an unbeaten century and Ravindra Jadeja contributing a useful innings in the middle. The bowling unit also delivered satisfactory performances in Sri Lankan conditions. Vice-captain KL Rahul captained the side in Gill’s absence during the warm-up match.
BCCI clarified the reason for Gill sitting out Day 1 of the warm-up with an official statement: “Captain Shubman Gill sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during India’s practice on Thursday. As a precautionary measure, he will not take the field on Day 1 of the warm-up game against Sri Lanka XI. The BCCI medical team is monitoring his progress. KL Rahul will lead the team in Gill’s absence.”
After two days of rest following the impact injury, Gill returned to batting practice on Sunday with his right ring finger heavily taped and was observed looking comfortable while facing net bowlers. Earlier in the day he participated in a warm-up drill but was initially seen using only his left hand as the medical team continued monitoring his recovery.
The Indian team management has not yet issued an official confirmation on Gill’s availability for the first Test, but his resumption of batting drills is being treated as a positive development. With almost a week until the match in Galle, the BCCI medical staff will continue to assess the condition of his right ring finger.
If Gill’s recovery proceeds without setbacks, he is expected to be available to lead India in the series opener on August 15 in Galle; the medical team will determine his readiness before final selection decisions are made.