Three changes India could make for second Sri Lanka Test

India could make three changes to their playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, which begins on August 23, 2026. The visitors lead the two-match series 1-0 after a 165-run victory in the first Test at Galle.

The opening match produced several positives for India: Devdutt Padikkal scored 167 in the first innings, KL Rahul made 82, and Rishabh Pant contributed 66 in the second innings. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar took 10 wickets in the match while Ravindra Jadeja supported him from the other end; Suthar and Jadeja bowled the majority of India's overs. Despite those performances, Yashasvi Jaiswal has managed only one fifty in his last eight Test innings and captain Shubman Gill scored just 24 runs across both innings. With the series already in India’s favour, the team management is contemplating tweaks to the XI.

One likely change could come in the spin department after Kuldeep Yadav took one wicket in 25 overs for 103 runs and was the least-used spinner at Galle. That has put Madhya Pradesh off-spinner Saransh Jain into consideration for a possible international debut; Jain has 188 first-class wickets in 54 matches. Selectors may view Jain’s off-spin as providing variation to an attack that already includes two left-arm spinners in Suthar and Jadeja, and as useful against several left-handed batters in Sri Lanka’s top order.

India could also adjust the middle order by bringing Sarfaraz Khan back into the XI. Dhruv Jurel scored 51 in the first innings at Galle, but Sarfaraz’s domestic experience and reputed ability to attack spin are cited as reasons he is an interesting option while India's middle order searches for the right combination.

A third area for change is the pace attack after Mohammed Siraj’s speed was a major talking point in Galle and there were speculations that he is carrying some injury. If the management decide not to risk Siraj, Gurnoor Brar is mentioned as an alternative whose height and pace would offer another variation to the bowling unit.

The second and final Test between Sri Lanka and India will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, beginning on August 23, 2026, when the selectors’ decisions on any of these potential changes will be confirmed.