Three candidates to replace Washington Sundar in India squad as hamstring injury puts him doubtful for Sri Lanka Tests
Washington Sundar is doubtful for the entire two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka, a development reported on August 12, 2026, after the Board of Control for Cricket in India had named him only in the second Test following his initial exclusion from the first. Sundar sustained a hamstring injury during the England ODIs and had been expected to be fit for the second Test before the latest update from TOI raised doubts over his availability for both matches.
When the India squad for the Sri Lanka Tests was announced, Sundar’s name appeared only for the second Test because he was ruled out of the first; his hamstring issue from the England ODIs was the reason for that initial omission. His doubtful status has created a vacancy that selectors must consider filling, with the replacement expected to offer a combination of spin bowling and lower-order batting similar to Sundar’s role in the Test setup. India already have Ravindra Jadeja in the squad as a senior spin-bowling all-rounder, so any further addition will depend on squad balance and the conditions expected in Sri Lanka.
Axar Patel is a leading candidate: he bowls left-arm orthodox spin and bats in the lower order. In the first ODI of India’s series against England he scored 57 and took 4-62, earning the Player of the Match award, a performance the article cites as evidence of his form. The piece notes Axar has proved his worth in Tests and describes him as a potential replacement for Sundar.
Tanush Kotian is another option based on domestic form, having been named Player of the Tournament in Mumbai’s 2023-24 Ranji Trophy title-winning campaign. He scored 502 runs at an average of 41.83 and took 29 wickets at an average of 16.96, becoming the only player in that edition to complete the double of 500 runs and 25 wickets. The article adds that Kotian has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket and has travelled with the team as a net bowler, making him a plausible selection.
Harsh Dubey is presented as a third candidate after a record-breaking 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season for Vidarbha, in which he finished with 69 wickets and 476 runs. The article states his 69 wickets were the most by any bowler in a single Ranji Trophy season and that he was named Player of the Tournament, with Vidarbha winning the title. It also notes Dubey was part of an India squad for the Afghanistan series but did not make his international debut, and that there are chances he could replace Sundar and make his debut in Sri Lanka.
Selectors will need to weigh the options against the team’s requirements and the conditions in Sri Lanka before deciding on any addition to the squad. The first Test of the two-match series is scheduled to begin on August 15, 2026, in Galle, giving the selection panel a timeline within which to finalise any changes.
