1st Test: Shubman Gill-led India elect to bat first against Sri Lanka…

Galle [Sri Lanka], August 15 (ANI): Team India won the toss and elected to bat first against hosts Sri Lanka in the opening Test of the two-match series at the Galle International Stadium on Saturday. sport-tr.bet

Led by Shubman Gill, India will become the first Asian side and only the third team after England and Australia to feature in 600 Tests.

Sri Lanka have handed international debuts to off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha, who received his Test cap. The 25-year-old impressed during the only warm-up game, claiming the wickets of KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant.

For Sri Lanka, Dhananjaya de Silva will lead the hosts, with Niroshan Dickwella named as the wicketkeeper. Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka and Dinesh Chandimal form part of the batting line-up, while Kamindu Mendis and Sonal Dinusha add all-round options.

Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva said, “We would have batted first as well. Two fast bowlers, two spinners and two all-rounders. Iconic ground, I am very happy to captain in this match."

Prabath Jayasuriya will lead the spin attack alongside Nuwantha, while Lahiru Kumara and Asitha Fernando are the two specialist pacers.

After winning the toss, Indian skipper Gill said, “We are gonna bat first. Looks like a good wicket. Same playing XI that we played in the last match. Looking forward."

For the visitors, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul will open the batting, while Gill, Devdutt Padikkal and Pant strengthen the middle order. Ravindra Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel provide further batting options.

India have included Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar as their specialist spinners, while Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna will lead the pace attack.

Teams:

India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill(c), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva(c), Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella(w), Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando. (ANI)

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Galle [Sri Lanka], August 15 (ANI): Team India and Team Sri Lanka arrived at the Galle International Stadium on Saturday ahead of the opening Test of the two-match series.

Both teams reached the venue as they geared up for the first Test, which will mark the beginning of the two-match series.

India will become the first Asian team and only the third side after England and Australia to play 600 Tests when the first Test of the two-match series gets underway on August 15, India’s Independence Day.

Gill, who took over as India’s Test captain last year, interacted with the media on the eve of the Test match and said the opportunity to lead India in such a significant match made the occasion even more special.

“It’s a very big honour and privilege. Any Test match that you captain for your country is a huge deal. Obviously, leading my country in our 600th Test match is a big honour and privilege for me, and doing that on Independence Day is even more special for us," Gill said at the pre-match press conference.

India are currently fifth in the World Test Championship 2025-27 standings after four wins, four defeats and a draw from nine matches; Gill acknowledged the importance of the Sri Lanka series in India’s bid to reach the final. The second test of the series is also significant for Sri Lanka, who is currently sixth in the WTC standings.

“Obviously, the main goal is to play in the World Test Championship final, which is next year. We have played about nine Tests in this cycle, and I think we have to win around six or seven more to have a good chance at qualifying. In terms of that, I think this is a very important series for us, and we have had the right kind of preparation leading up to it," he said.

India Test Squad: Shubman Gill (c), KL Rahul (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi, Sarfaraz Khan.

Sri Lanka Test Squad: Dhananjaya De Silva (captain), Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Keshara Nuwantha, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, and Dilshan Madushanka. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka in Galle. India will face Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series, which will be crucial for WTC final qualification.

This is India's 600th Test, making it a historic occasion for the players, especially being played on India's Independence Day.

After winning the toss, Shubman Gill was happy to bat first on a fresh wicket. The Indian skipper said he was filled with pride at having the opportunity to captain India on Independnce Day Test match.

"We're gonna bat first, looks like a good wicket and the weather also looks good, so hopefully it's gonna be a good day of cricket for us. We've gone with the same playing XI that we played the last match. We've got five bowlers, two fast bowlers and three spinners. Very big honor for me, every time you get an opportunity to lead your country, and even more so special on this occasion. Independence Day for us and 600th Test match, so looking forward." Shubman Gill said.

Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva admitted that he would have batted first too had he won the toss. de Silva added that he hoped his bowlers get early wickets on a 'dry' Galle pitch.

"Yeah, it (pitch) looks good. I was hoping to bat as well. It's quite dry as well. Nishan Madushka comes in for Pathum Nissanka and Niroshan Dickwella will be keeping, and Keshara will be debuting today. Two fast bowlers, two spinners, and two all-rounders, including me and Sonal Dinusha. [50th Test match in Galle] To be part of this Test match, it's an iconic ground, and yeah, I'm very happy to play this match as well." Dhananjaya de Silva said.

India and Sri Lanka teams for first Test:

India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva(c), Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella(w), Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando

In his brief Test captaincy career so far, Shubman Gill has led India in only England (five matches) and at home (four). On the 79th anniversary of the country’s Independence, he will add Sri Lanka to that list, in a milestone encounter.

The 50th Test at the Galle International Stadium will also mark India’s 600th Test appearance; only England and Australia have played more Tests, and Gill’s India will hope to make this momentous occasion memorable for the right reasons as they seek to reignite their tottering World Test Championship campaign.

India’s first Test tour of Sri Lanka in nine years has left them with only three players who have played in this country previously. It will be incumbent on vice-captain KL Rahul, gun all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, therefore, to share their experiences with their young captain and their colleagues as India find themselves dangerously close to a point of no-return so far as the WTC is concerned.

Sitting on a five-Test winning streak in Sri Lanka, India won’t find the going easy against a Lankan outfit adept at making the most of its familiarity with home conditions. Galle has been a happy hunting ground for the home side in the past, but its recent record here isn’t the most encouraging and India will hope they can compensate for their lack of adequate taste of the conditions through their unquestioned skills and impeccable preparation from the time they landed in these shores more than 10 days back.

While there is no denying that Jasprit Bumrah is irreplaceable, there is enough quality in the Indian bowling to make up for the crack speedster’s injury-enforced absence. Gill will need to be creative and imaginative as a captain, especially once the Kookaburra softens up after 30 or so overs, with patience as his ally and the big heart of Mohammed Siraj as a strong rallying point.

India’s batting will be under great scrutiny after less than acceptable returns on turners at home against New Zealand and, more recently, South Africa. Sri Lanka are masters at exploiting turn and bounce, which Galle should offer aplenty as the match goes deeper. Undone by the likes of Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, and Simon Harmer in their own backyard, India must be on top of their game if they aren’t to allow Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis and Sonal Dinusha to call the shots.

India captain Shubman Gill stressed the importance of spin in both India and Sri Lanka, while expecting extra bounce and the impact of wind to make conditions in Galle different.

“A big similarity is that spinners play a huge role in both countries. We’ve seen that there is a good bit of bounce in the wicket here, which is similar to playing on red-soil wickets in India.

“Playing in Mumbai is a little bit closer to playing here in Galle. If you play in the north of India, there is less bounce and the ball comes on a bit slower. Here, the spinners get good bounce, and you see a lot of dismissals caught in the slips or by close-in fielders,” Gill said.

The 26-year-old felt Galle’s open venue brings wind into play. “In grounds that are open, the wind sometimes plays a crucial part. Most of the grounds in India are closed with stands, but in open grounds like this, the wind plays a huge role,” he said.

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