Gill experienced the minor injury during a practice session on Thursday, and KL Rahul will lead the Indian team in his absence.
“Captain Shubman Gill has sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during India’s practice on Thursday. As a precaution, he will not take the field on Day 1 of the warm-up match against SLC XI. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his condition,” the BCCI stated on its ‘X’ handle.
“KL Rahul will captain the team in Gill’s absence.” India is touring Sri Lanka for a two-Test series, which begins in Galle on August 15.
Cricket fans will enjoy free admission during the upcoming two-Test series between Sri Lanka and India, starting on August 15, as announced by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Friday.
“Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is pleased to announce that public entry to the upcoming Test Series against India will be free of charge, offering cricket fans an excellent opportunity to experience world-class Test cricket,” the board mentioned in a statement.
The first Test will take place at the Galle International Stadium, while the second match is set for the SSC in Colombo from August 23 to 27.
SLC indicated that this initiative aims to encourage cricket enthusiasts, young budding cricketers, families, and sports fans nationwide to enjoy international Test cricket between Sri Lanka and India.
This move follows the challenge of attracting large crowds to Test matches in Sri Lanka, where red-ball games typically draw fewer fans compared to limited-overs formats.
The second match will take place here starting August 23. This will mark India’s first ICC World Test Championship assignment following their disappointing 0-2 home defeat to South Africa last December.
Saransh has been selected in the squad based on his consistently strong performances for Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket. Nabi comes in to replace the injured Jasprit Bumrah and played a crucial role in J&K’s first title-winning campaign in the Ranji Trophy last season.
“We’ve brought in a couple of new players. First, Saransh, congratulations. You’ve put in a lot of effort to reach this point,” Gambhir said, welcoming the 33-year-old late bloomer.
“Be sure to make your family and your country proud whenever you get the chance.”
“Additionally, I want to congratulate Auqib. You had an exceptional last season and led J&K to win the Ranji Trophy, which is a significant accomplishment. Congratulations once again,” he added.
India vs Sri Lanka XI Squads:
India XI Squad: Shubman Gill(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar
Sri Lanka XI Squad:
Nishan Madushka(w), Nipun Dhananjaya, Ravindu Rasantha, Pavan Rathnayake, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Sonal Dinusha(c), Ramesh Mendis, Dilum Sudeera, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Isitha Wijesundera, Asanka Manoj, Anjala Bandara, Keshara Nuwantha
(With PTI inputs)
First Published: Aug 7, 2026 7:22 PM IST
