Last Updated on 42 minutes ago by Charbel Coorey
Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of India’s upcoming two Test matches against Sri Lanka after failing to recover from a toe injury. His absence will be a big loss for India with the expectation that he would bat at number three.
The 24-year-old batsman was named in India’s 15-member squad announced on July 28. His selection depended on a fitness test before the series, and he was not part of the Indian squad that departed for Sri Lanka on August 4.
According to a report by India Today, which cites a BCCI source, the batter is now continuing his rehabilitation at the Center of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru. The selectors are expected to name his replacement in the coming days.
Sai Sudharsan Injury Causes Batting Order Concerns for Team India
Sudharsan first experienced the toe issue during the second unofficial Test between India A and Sri Lanka A in Galle in June-July. He was forced to retire hurt during the match with the problem.
The clearance has not yet come through from the COE in Bangalore, and therefore Sudharsan will miss the entire two-match series. The batter was in excellent form prior to his injury. He had scored 81 in the first innings of India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in June. He also made hundreds in both the India A games against Sri Lanka A in Galle in the first innings.
Sudharsan is likely to be replaced by Devdutt Padikkal at no. 3
With Sudharsan unavailable, Devdutt Padikkal is expected to take over the number three spot, although Sarfaraz Khan is considered a chance. Padikkal has done well in recent domestic outings for Karnataka and he scored a hundred in India’s ongoing practice tour game against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo. At the time of writing, Padikkal is unbeaten on 117 off 143 balls.
His hundred has put him in a strong position to replace Sudharsan in the batting line-up. However, the final call will be taken by the Indian team management and selectors on before the toss at Galle.
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