Why Sarfaraz Khan has been put forward for India’s second Test in Colombo
India defeated Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test of their two-match tour on August 19, 2026, and the second Test at the SSC Cricket Ground in Colombo is scheduled to begin on August 23; Sarfaraz Khan has been called into India’s Test squad as a replacement. The visitors won the opening match and face a chance to complete a series sweep in Colombo.
The first Test featured match-winning contributions from Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul and strong bowling from Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja. Padikkal was named Player of the Match after scoring 211 in the game, Suthar took a maiden 10-wicket haul in just his second Test, and Jadeja reached his 350th Test wicket, all of which underpinned India’s 165-run victory. With the series at 1-0, selectors are considering changes to the playing XI, particularly in the batting order.
Sai Sudharsan, India’s designated No.3 batter, was ruled out of the series because of an injury sustained during the unofficial Tests; Sarfaraz Khan was added to the squad as his replacement. Sarfaraz’s inclusion brings him back into the Test setup after nearly two years away from the side.
Sarfaraz last featured in the home Test series against New Zealand in 2024, when he scored 171 runs across six innings, including one score of 150. He was also part of India’s Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 squad but did not play a match in that series.
During his time away from international selection, Sarfaraz produced strong domestic numbers across formats. In the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season he amassed 429 runs at an average of 53.6, highlighted by a 227-run innings against Hyderabad, and in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 he recorded the fastest List A half-century by an Indian, completed off 20 balls.
India’s current No.6 batter, Dhruv Jurel, did not provide the acceleration the team required in the second innings of the first Test and managed only 18 runs in the three-day warm-up game, prompting discussion about the No.6 slot. Sarfaraz is described in the source material as an explosive batter capable of changing gears and as an exceptional player of spin, attributes cited in arguments for his selection.
Observers noted in the first Test that Sri Lanka’s batters used the square of the wicket and employed sweep shots; the case made for Sarfaraz points to his capacity to use similar techniques. The suggestion put forward is that India, secure in the series lead, could try Sarfaraz at No.6 both to strengthen the batting options and to reward strong domestic performances.
The second Test begins on August 23 at the SSC Cricket Ground in Colombo, and selectors will decide whether Sarfaraz Khan is handed a place in India’s playing XI for that match.