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2nd Test | ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo | 23 August 2026
Sri Lanka go into the second Test without three key names, and their reshuffled top order will lean heavily on two uncapped faces. Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, and Pathum Nissanka are all unavailable, forcing Kamil Mishara and Sahan Arachchige into contention for their first Test caps. India, 1-0 up after a 165-run win in Galle, could also tinker with their attack. Neither board has confirmed a final eleven, but the shape of both teams is already coming into focus.
Three established names will not take the field in Colombo. Kusal Mendis is out with a hamstring injury, while Dinesh Chandimal is serving a mandatory seven-day stand-down after suffering a concussion on the fourth day of the first Test. Pathum Nissanka remains unlikely to feature as he continues recovering from wrist surgery.
That is three specialist options gone inside a single week. The selectors responded by bringing in two uncapped players rather than reshuffling existing squad members, a sign they see gaps needing specific replacements.
Kamil Mishara and Sahan Arachchige have been added to the 14-man squad, both still waiting on their first Test caps. Mishara is an established top-order batter in first-class cricket, while Arachchige offers all-round balance that the selectors clearly felt was missing.
Neither board has named a final eleven, so the table below reflects confirmed squad members and each player’s most recent role and batting position from the first Test.
| Player | Role | Batting Position |
| Dhananjaya de Silva (c) | All-rounder | No. 5/6 |
| Kamindu Mendis | All-rounder | No. 4 |
| Niroshan Dickwella | Wicketkeeper-batter | No. 7 |
| Lahiru Udara | Wicketkeeper-batter | Opener |
| Kamil Mishara | Batter | Top order/Opener |
| Sahan Arachchige | All-rounder | Middle order |
| Prabath Jayasuriya | Spinner | No. 9 |
| Shubman Gill (c) | Batter | No. 4 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Batter | Opener |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spinner | No. 8, likely dropped |
| Saransh Jain | Off-spinner | Likely debut |
| Sarfaraz Khan | Batter | Middle order, possible in |
| Dhruv Jurel | Wicketkeeper-batter | No. 6/7 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder | No. 6/7 |
The uncapped duo slot in near the top of the order, underlining how thin Sri Lanka’s batting stocks have become. India’s puzzle differs: a debutant spinner versus proven experience, and whether Sarfaraz Khan’s power outweighs Dhruv Jurel’s control behind the stumps.
India have selection questions of their own after their first-Test win. Kuldeep Yadav managed just one wicket while conceding 103 runs across 25 overs at Galle, a return that has him under real pressure heading into Colombo. Saransh Jain is being tipped to replace him and could make his Test debut in the process.
The other likely swap centres on the wicketkeeping spot. Dhruv Jurel scored 51 in the first innings at Galle, but Sarfaraz Khan is reportedly under consideration to take his place. A third possible change in the bowling attack has been mentioned without full detail, while Jasprit Bumrah remains unavailable for both Tests with a left knee injury picked up before the series began.
The surface at this venue has traditionally rewarded batters early before turning increasingly in the spinners’ favour as a match wears on. One board official described the pitch as being prepared to a balanced brief, giving younger home batters a genuine chance to build an innings.
A second official offered a different read, suggesting the surface could just as easily be tailored into a rank turner if team management decides that suits their bowling attack better. Either way, spin looks set to play a growing role as the match wears on, which matters given Sri Lanka’s thin top order.
History leans heavily one way here. The two sides have met 46 times in Test cricket, and India have won 22 of those matches to Sri Lanka’s seven, with 17 draws filling the rest of the ledger.
The first Test only reinforced that trend. India won by 165 runs in Galle to take a 1-0 lead in the series, a result built on exactly the kind of selection depth Sri Lanka is now missing. Whatever combination each camp settles on, this Sri Lanka India WTC 2025-27 playing XI picture will say as much about squad depth as it does about form.
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Who is ruled out of Sri Lanka’s squad for the second Test?
Three players are unavailable: Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, and Pathum Nissanka. Mendis is nursing a hamstring injury, Chandimal is serving a seven-day concussion stand-down, and Nissanka is still recovering from wrist surgery.
Has Sri Lanka’s line-up for the second Test been confirmed?
No, only the 14-man squad has been officially named so far. Both camps are expected to confirm their final elevens closer to the toss on the opening morning.
Could India change their bowling attack for the second Test?
Yes, Kuldeep Yadav looks set to make way for Saransh Jain. Yadav managed only one wicket for 103 runs in Galle, and Jain could earn his first Test cap as a direct replacement.
Who could replace Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal in the squad?
Kamil Mishara and Sahan Arachchige have been added as the likely replacements. Both are uncapped, with Niroshan Dickwella already covering the wicketkeeping duties Mendis previously handled.
Where is the second Test between the two sides being played?
The match is being staged at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. The Test runs from August 23 to 27, 2026, with the hosts already 1-0 down in the series.
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