2 months ago
Sri Lanka have added off-spin all-rounder Sahan Arachchige and batter Kamil Mishara to their squad for the second and final Test against India, starting in Colombo on August 23.
Sri Lanka need a win to draw the two-match series after India won the opening Test in Galle by 165 runs.
The hosts will be without Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal for the Colombo Test.
Arachchige, who has played five ODIs and one T20I, has been brought in for Kusal Mendis. He impressed while captaining Sri Lanka A against India A last month, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer in the series with 209 runs.
Top-order batter Kamil Mishara has replaced Nishan Fernando, who did not make an impact in the Galle Test.
After the first Test, Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten confirmed that Kusal Mendis has a "proper hamstring injury" and will be unavailable for some time.
Chandimal, meanwhile, was ruled out after sustaining an injury on the fourth day of the Galle Test. He has to serve a minimum seven-day stand-down period under concussion protocols.
Pasindu Sooriyabandara replaced Chandimal as a concussion substitute and will remain with the squad for the second Test.
Sri Lanka will now look to make changes to their playing XI as they attempt to level the series in Colombo.
Sri Lanka squad for the 2nd Test
Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis (Vice Captain), Dhananjaya De Silva (Captain), Sahan Arachchige, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan **** wella, Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Milan Ratnayake, Lahiru **** ara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando.
#arachchige
Sri Lanka need a win to draw the two-match series after India won the opening Test in Galle by 165 runs.
The hosts will be without Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal for the Colombo Test.
Arachchige, who has played five ODIs and one T20I, has been brought in for Kusal Mendis. He impressed while captaining Sri Lanka A against India A last month, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer in the series with 209 runs.
Top-order batter Kamil Mishara has replaced Nishan Fernando, who did not make an impact in the Galle Test.
After the first Test, Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten confirmed that Kusal Mendis has a "proper hamstring injury" and will be unavailable for some time.
Chandimal, meanwhile, was ruled out after sustaining an injury on the fourth day of the Galle Test. He has to serve a minimum seven-day stand-down period under concussion protocols.
Pasindu Sooriyabandara replaced Chandimal as a concussion substitute and will remain with the squad for the second Test.
Sri Lanka will now look to make changes to their playing XI as they attempt to level the series in Colombo.
Sri Lanka squad for the 2nd Test
Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis (Vice Captain), Dhananjaya De Silva (Captain), Sahan Arachchige, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan **** wella, Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Milan Ratnayake, Lahiru **** ara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando.
#arachchige
3 months ago
A magnificent 168 from Sai Sudharsan, backed by valuable contributions from the middle and lower order, helped India A seize complete control of the second unofficial Test against Sri Lanka A, finishing Day 3 at 541/8 and extending their lead to 175 runs.
After rain interrupted play for nearly an hour following the tea break, India A still managed to strengthen their grip on the contest, setting themselves up for a strong finish heading into the final day.
Resuming on his overnight score of 104, Sudharsan continued to dominate the Sri Lankan attack with a composed innings of 168 off 267 deliveries, laced with 22 boundaries. His knock came after Devdutt Padikkal narrowly missed out on a century, falling for 94 in the opening over of the day.
India A were reduced to 248/2 early in the morning, but Sudharsan rebuilt the innings alongside captain Dhruv Jurel. The pair stitched together a crucial 120-run stand for the third wicket, ensuring the visitors remained firmly in control.
Sudharsan looked set for a double hundred before left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera trapped him lbw. Jurel soon followed after scoring a well-made 53 off 88 **** , also falling to Sudeera.
India A were briefly concerned when Ruturaj Gaikwad retired hurt after being struck on the helmet by a delivery from pacer Asanka Manoj. The opener managed just 13 runs before walking off the field, and his availability for the final day remains uncertain.
Following the dismissals of Sudharsan and Jurel, Shaik Rasheed played an aggressive knock of 45 from just 51 **** before becoming another lbw victim, this time to off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha.
With India A leading by 84 runs at 454/5, the lower order ensured the advantage continued to grow. Saransh Jain remained unbeaten on 68, while Auqib Nabi contributed a useful 30 during an 81-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Although Nabi was dismissed late in the day, caught in the deep off part-time spinner Sahan Arachchige, India A had already built a commanding lead by stumps.
Keshara Nuwantha was Sri Lanka A's most successful bowler with figures of 4/158, while Dilum Sudeera claimed 3/101.
Sri Lanka A: 366 all out
India A: 541/8 in 142 overs (Sai Sudharsan 168, Devdutt Padikkal 94, Dhruv Jurel 53, Saransh Jain 68*; Keshara Nuwantha 4/158, Dilum Sudeera 3/101)
Status: India A lead by 175 runs at stumps on Day 3.
After rain interrupted play for nearly an hour following the tea break, India A still managed to strengthen their grip on the contest, setting themselves up for a strong finish heading into the final day.
Resuming on his overnight score of 104, Sudharsan continued to dominate the Sri Lankan attack with a composed innings of 168 off 267 deliveries, laced with 22 boundaries. His knock came after Devdutt Padikkal narrowly missed out on a century, falling for 94 in the opening over of the day.
India A were reduced to 248/2 early in the morning, but Sudharsan rebuilt the innings alongside captain Dhruv Jurel. The pair stitched together a crucial 120-run stand for the third wicket, ensuring the visitors remained firmly in control.
Sudharsan looked set for a double hundred before left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera trapped him lbw. Jurel soon followed after scoring a well-made 53 off 88 **** , also falling to Sudeera.
India A were briefly concerned when Ruturaj Gaikwad retired hurt after being struck on the helmet by a delivery from pacer Asanka Manoj. The opener managed just 13 runs before walking off the field, and his availability for the final day remains uncertain.
Following the dismissals of Sudharsan and Jurel, Shaik Rasheed played an aggressive knock of 45 from just 51 **** before becoming another lbw victim, this time to off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha.
With India A leading by 84 runs at 454/5, the lower order ensured the advantage continued to grow. Saransh Jain remained unbeaten on 68, while Auqib Nabi contributed a useful 30 during an 81-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Although Nabi was dismissed late in the day, caught in the deep off part-time spinner Sahan Arachchige, India A had already built a commanding lead by stumps.
Keshara Nuwantha was Sri Lanka A's most successful bowler with figures of 4/158, while Dilum Sudeera claimed 3/101.
Sri Lanka A: 366 all out
India A: 541/8 in 142 overs (Sai Sudharsan 168, Devdutt Padikkal 94, Dhruv Jurel 53, Saransh Jain 68*; Keshara Nuwantha 4/158, Dilum Sudeera 3/101)
Status: India A lead by 175 runs at stumps on Day 3.
3 months ago
Sri Lanka A captain Sahan Arachchige scored an unbeaten 83 to guide his team to 288 for 5 at stumps on the opening day of the second unofficial Test against India A in Galle on Thursday.
India A bowlers Yash Thakur and Saransh Jain picked up two wickets each, but Sri Lanka A stayed in control after recovering from a steady start.
Arachchige remained unbeaten on 83 from 148 ******* , hitting nine fours and a six. He also shared a 99-run partnership for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Anjala Bandara, who made 42 before being bowled by off-spinner Jain.
Thakur finished with figures of 2 for 32 from 14 overs, while Jain returned 2 for 77 from 24 overs. Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar claimed one wicket for 49 runs in 15 overs.
Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari, playing his first red-ball match in six years, went wicketless, conceding 64 runs from his 16 overs.
On a slow Galle pitch, wickets were hard to come by. Sri Lanka A openers Pawantha Weerasinghe (39) and Sohan di Livera (28) put together 53 runs for the first wicket.
Thakur provided India A with the breakthrough when Di Livera edged one to Devdutt Padikkal at slip.
Weerasinghe batted through most of the morning session before Brar dismissed him just before lunch. The left-hander edged one behind to captain and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel.
Nuwanidu Fernando (44) and Ashen Bandara (34) then added 57 runs for the third wicket to keep Sri Lanka A in a strong position.
Jain broke the stand by having Fernando caught by Padikkal. Thakur then removed Ashen, who edged behind to Jurel.
Fast bowler Auqib Nabi could not trouble the Sri Lanka A openers with the new ball and finished with figures of 0 for 50 from 15 overs.
Brar bowled with more pace and used the short ball effectively but ended with only one wicket.
Ansari had a difficult outing, bowling several loose deliveries that allowed the batters to score freely. His leg-spin did not trouble the Sri Lanka A batters, who capitalised whenever he missed his length.
Brief Scores:
Sri Lanka A 1st Innings: 288/5 (Sahan Arachchige 83 batting, Nuwanidu Fernando 44, Anjala Bandara 42, Yash Thakur 2/32, Saransh Jain 2/77, Gurnoor Brar 1/49).
India A bowlers Yash Thakur and Saransh Jain picked up two wickets each, but Sri Lanka A stayed in control after recovering from a steady start.
Arachchige remained unbeaten on 83 from 148 ******* , hitting nine fours and a six. He also shared a 99-run partnership for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Anjala Bandara, who made 42 before being bowled by off-spinner Jain.
Thakur finished with figures of 2 for 32 from 14 overs, while Jain returned 2 for 77 from 24 overs. Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar claimed one wicket for 49 runs in 15 overs.
Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari, playing his first red-ball match in six years, went wicketless, conceding 64 runs from his 16 overs.
On a slow Galle pitch, wickets were hard to come by. Sri Lanka A openers Pawantha Weerasinghe (39) and Sohan di Livera (28) put together 53 runs for the first wicket.
Thakur provided India A with the breakthrough when Di Livera edged one to Devdutt Padikkal at slip.
Weerasinghe batted through most of the morning session before Brar dismissed him just before lunch. The left-hander edged one behind to captain and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel.
Nuwanidu Fernando (44) and Ashen Bandara (34) then added 57 runs for the third wicket to keep Sri Lanka A in a strong position.
Jain broke the stand by having Fernando caught by Padikkal. Thakur then removed Ashen, who edged behind to Jurel.
Fast bowler Auqib Nabi could not trouble the Sri Lanka A openers with the new ball and finished with figures of 0 for 50 from 15 overs.
Brar bowled with more pace and used the short ball effectively but ended with only one wicket.
Ansari had a difficult outing, bowling several loose deliveries that allowed the batters to score freely. His leg-spin did not trouble the Sri Lanka A batters, who capitalised whenever he missed his length.
Brief Scores:
Sri Lanka A 1st Innings: 288/5 (Sahan Arachchige 83 batting, Nuwanidu Fernando 44, Anjala Bandara 42, Yash Thakur 2/32, Saransh Jain 2/77, Gurnoor Brar 1/49).
4 months ago
NEW DELHI: India’s teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi revealed how a timely conversation with his coach helped him overcome a difficult phase and return to his destructive best in the Tri-Series final against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla.
The 15-year-old smashed a breathtaking 94 off just 29 **** , including the fastest List A half-century in history off only 11 deliveries, as India A thrashed Sri Lanka A by 66 runs to lift the **** le.
But the record-breaking knock came after a lean run in the tournament and mounting scrutiny over his form and temperament following an on-field altercation during India A’s previous meeting with Sri Lanka A.
“When runs were not coming, I sat down with Hrishi [Hrishikesh Kanitkar] sir to discuss a few things and he gave me a free hand to play freely,” Sooryavanshi told Sportstar after the final.
“These conditions were slightly different, so it threw some challenges initially. So, I was trying too hard, but wasn’t able to execute the plans. That’s when he told me, ‘tu apna natural game khel, zyada soch mat’ (you play your natural game and don’t think too much about anything else). That motivated me and I continued to back myself and I’m happy that things worked out well,” the teenager said.
Coming into the summit clash, Sooryavanshi had managed only 117 runs in four innings and had struggled to convert starts on the slower surfaces in Sri Lanka.
However, the left-hander insisted that pressure never entered his mind despite the criticism surrounding him.
“There was no pressure on me,” Sooryavanshi said. “When I walked out to bat, the idea was to execute what I had planned for in the first ten overs and then take it forward. It worked…”
His astonishing **** ault effectively settled the contest inside the first ten overs. India A raced to 132 in just nine overs before eventually posting 377/9. Sri Lanka A were then bowled out for 311 in 47.1 overs.
Sri Lanka A skipper Sahan Arachchige admitted that Sooryavanshi’s blitz put his side on the back foot immediately.
“Sooryavanshi played a brilliant innings. We managed the innings nicely thereon but let it slide in the last two overs,” Arachchige said.
“When we are chasing a big score, top order can fall cheaply. It happens. Young guys have played well, seniors have scored too. It's been a good tournament,” he added.
With an India T20 debut awaiting later this month, Sooryavanshi’s latest masterclass served as another reminder that even during difficult periods, trusting his natural instincts remains his greatest strength.
131909222
The 15-year-old smashed a breathtaking 94 off just 29 **** , including the fastest List A half-century in history off only 11 deliveries, as India A thrashed Sri Lanka A by 66 runs to lift the **** le.
But the record-breaking knock came after a lean run in the tournament and mounting scrutiny over his form and temperament following an on-field altercation during India A’s previous meeting with Sri Lanka A.
“When runs were not coming, I sat down with Hrishi [Hrishikesh Kanitkar] sir to discuss a few things and he gave me a free hand to play freely,” Sooryavanshi told Sportstar after the final.
“These conditions were slightly different, so it threw some challenges initially. So, I was trying too hard, but wasn’t able to execute the plans. That’s when he told me, ‘tu apna natural game khel, zyada soch mat’ (you play your natural game and don’t think too much about anything else). That motivated me and I continued to back myself and I’m happy that things worked out well,” the teenager said.
Coming into the summit clash, Sooryavanshi had managed only 117 runs in four innings and had struggled to convert starts on the slower surfaces in Sri Lanka.
However, the left-hander insisted that pressure never entered his mind despite the criticism surrounding him.
“There was no pressure on me,” Sooryavanshi said. “When I walked out to bat, the idea was to execute what I had planned for in the first ten overs and then take it forward. It worked…”
His astonishing **** ault effectively settled the contest inside the first ten overs. India A raced to 132 in just nine overs before eventually posting 377/9. Sri Lanka A were then bowled out for 311 in 47.1 overs.
Sri Lanka A skipper Sahan Arachchige admitted that Sooryavanshi’s blitz put his side on the back foot immediately.
“Sooryavanshi played a brilliant innings. We managed the innings nicely thereon but let it slide in the last two overs,” Arachchige said.
“When we are chasing a big score, top order can fall cheaply. It happens. Young guys have played well, seniors have scored too. It's been a good tournament,” he added.
With an India T20 debut awaiting later this month, Sooryavanshi’s latest masterclass served as another reminder that even during difficult periods, trusting his natural instincts remains his greatest strength.
131909222
4 months ago
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s much-anticipated return to competitive cricket for India A ended in a brief stay at the crease as the teenage sensation managed 14 runs in the Tri-Nation A Series opener against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla on Tuesday.
The young batter, who attracted widespread attention following his stellar IPL 2026 campaign, walked in with plenty of expectations but could not convert his start into a big score.
Sooryavanshi struck only three fours during his 12-ball knock before being caught by Sahan Arachchige off the bowling of Mohamed Shiraz. His dismissal left India A at 16-1 in the fourth over.
India A had opted to bat first after winning the toss.
Alongside Sooryavanshi, wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh also departed early for just two runs.
However, Priyansh Arya and Ruturaj Gaikwad steadied the innings with a useful partnership before Arya was run out for 32.
Gaikwad remained unbeaten on 46, while captain Tilak Varma was unbeaten on 18 as India A reached 118-3 after 28 overs.
Ahead of the match, Sri Lanka A vice-captain Niroshan ****** wella had spoken about the excitement surrounding Sooryavanshi and the challenge of facing the youngster.
“I’m glad to be a wicketkeeper, because I won’t be getting many of the ****** when he is batting. He’s an exciting talent, and everyone loves the way the BCCI is handling him at this age and giving him opportunities in the ‘A’ team to perform. He’s not only a motivation for young Sri Lankan cricketers, but for youngsters all over the world. He hasn’t played a lot of List ‘A’ cricket, but this is a good opportunity for him to showcase his talent, explore, and show that he’s a very good short-format player. And, you know, we’re looking forward to this contest,” ****** wella told TOI.
131607582
When asked about plans to contain the Indian batter, ****** wella said: “We’re not trying to stop him, but, we’ll try to execute our basics first. We’ve some plans for him and for the whole Indian batting line-up. But, on that day, on the merit of how he is going to take the bowlers on, we will try and keep him down. The conditions here are different... I think in the IPL they have flatter pitches, but here in Sri Lanka we have huge grounds.”
The young batter, who attracted widespread attention following his stellar IPL 2026 campaign, walked in with plenty of expectations but could not convert his start into a big score.
Sooryavanshi struck only three fours during his 12-ball knock before being caught by Sahan Arachchige off the bowling of Mohamed Shiraz. His dismissal left India A at 16-1 in the fourth over.
India A had opted to bat first after winning the toss.
Alongside Sooryavanshi, wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh also departed early for just two runs.
However, Priyansh Arya and Ruturaj Gaikwad steadied the innings with a useful partnership before Arya was run out for 32.
Gaikwad remained unbeaten on 46, while captain Tilak Varma was unbeaten on 18 as India A reached 118-3 after 28 overs.
Ahead of the match, Sri Lanka A vice-captain Niroshan ****** wella had spoken about the excitement surrounding Sooryavanshi and the challenge of facing the youngster.
“I’m glad to be a wicketkeeper, because I won’t be getting many of the ****** when he is batting. He’s an exciting talent, and everyone loves the way the BCCI is handling him at this age and giving him opportunities in the ‘A’ team to perform. He’s not only a motivation for young Sri Lankan cricketers, but for youngsters all over the world. He hasn’t played a lot of List ‘A’ cricket, but this is a good opportunity for him to showcase his talent, explore, and show that he’s a very good short-format player. And, you know, we’re looking forward to this contest,” ****** wella told TOI.
131607582
When asked about plans to contain the Indian batter, ****** wella said: “We’re not trying to stop him, but, we’ll try to execute our basics first. We’ve some plans for him and for the whole Indian batting line-up. But, on that day, on the merit of how he is going to take the bowlers on, we will try and keep him down. The conditions here are different... I think in the IPL they have flatter pitches, but here in Sri Lanka we have huge grounds.”
