3 concerns for India before the Sri Lanka Test series

India are set to take on Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series, beginning on August 15 in Galle. Ahead of the series, the visitors will play a warm-up match to fine-tune their preparations and finalize their playing XI. While India boast a talented squad, they head into the series with a few significant concerns that could influence their performance in challenging Sri Lankan conditions.

One of India's biggest setbacks is the absence of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out with a left knee injury. Although he was initially included in the squad subject to fitness, he failed to recover in time and was replaced by Auqib Nabi. Bumrah's absence leaves a massive void in India's bowling attack. The experienced fast bowler has taken 234 wickets in just 52 Test matches and has claimed more than 500 international wickets across all formats.

Beyond his impressive numbers, Bumrah's ability to produce breakthroughs at crucial moments and bowl effectively with both the new and old ball makes him indispensable. Without their premier fast bowler, India will need the rest of the pace unit to step up and shoulder greater responsibility, especially during the early stages of the innings when conditions are expected to assist seamers.