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By Ishaan Kapoor — 3 August 2026 — 3 min read

Squad Changes for Sri Lanka Tour

India has announced its Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka, featuring some changes including the addition of two uncapped players. Among these changes, Auqib Nabi has been named as a replacement for fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out due to an injury. The squad will also include all-rounder Saransh Jain, who was part of the initial selection.

The Men’s Selection Committee confirmed the squad, which will play a four-day practice match in Colombo starting on August 7, ahead of the Test series. The series itself will see matches played in Galle and Colombo.

New Faces and Key Players

Auqib Nabi, a 29-year-old pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, joins the squad after a notable performance in the Ranji Trophy. He was instrumental in his state’s first Ranji Trophy victory, earning the Player of the Tournament award. In the 2025-26 season, Nabi secured 60 wickets in ten matches, marking the third-highest wicket tally for an Indian pacer in that edition. Across two Ranji Trophy seasons, he has taken a total of 104 wickets, including 13 five-wicket hauls in 18 matches. Seven of these five-wicket hauls came in the second season, matching the highest by any pacer in a first-class season in India. Nabi also has a century in List A cricket, scoring 114* against Hyderabad in a Vijay Hazare Trophy game. He was previously part of the India A side that toured Sri Lanka, where he claimed six wickets in two matches.

Saransh Jain, a 33-year-old spin all-rounder, is another new face in the Test squad. He is a right-arm off-break bowler and a left-handed batsman. Jain has a strong first-class record, with 188 wickets and 2223 runs at averages of 27.30 and 31.75, respectively. In three of the last four Ranji Trophy seasons, he has consistently scored over 300 runs and taken 25 wickets each season. His most recent season was particularly strong, with 518 runs at an average of 57.55 and 30 wickets at 20.43. He has two first-class centuries and 14 half-centuries to his name. Jain was also named Player of the Tournament in the Duleep Trophy, where he scored two half-centuries and took 16 wickets in just two matches. He was part of the India A squad that toured Sri Lanka, scoring 70* and taking six wickets in a four-day match in Galle.

The squad for the Tests against Sri Lanka includes Shubman Gill as Captain and KL Rahul as Vice-Captain. Other notable players are Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, and Devdutt Padikkal. The availability of Sai Sudharsan and Jasprit Bumrah was initially subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI COE, but Bumrah has since been ruled out. Washington Sundar was not available for selection for the first Test.

Upcoming Schedule and Team Aspirations

The team will be looking to build on their recent experiences in Sri Lanka, as both Auqib Nabi and Saransh Jain were part of the India A squad that toured the island nation. These additions and their recent exposure are expected to provide momentum for India to improve its standing in the ICC World Test Championship.

The schedule for the Sri Lanka Test series is as follows:

• First Test: August 15-19, Galle
• Second Test: August 23-27, Colombo

The series will commence with the first Test in Galle on August 15.

Source: icc-cricket.com