Pathum Nissanka misses LPL 2026 after wrist surgery, India Tests in doubt

Sri Lanka opening batter Pathum Nissanka has flown to London to undergo wrist surgery, ruling himself out of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 and raising serious questions about his availability for the upcoming two-Test series against India, which kicks off on Saturday, August 15.

Nissanka had been managing the wrist injury throughout Sri Lanka's Test tour of the West Indies. He managed just 2 and 3 in the first Test before deciding to pull out of the second match in Antigua, which begins on Friday, July 3, according to InsideSport.

The LPL returns this season after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) cancelled the 2025 edition, but the Sri Lanka opener will not be part of it. He was with the Jaffna Kings squad that was part of the 2024 title run, making his absence a notable one for the franchise and for the tournament.

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The timing of the injury adds to the concern. The LPL 2026 is scheduled to conclude on August 8. India's two-Test World Test Championship series in Sri Lanka begins on Saturday, August 15. That leaves just seven days between the end of the tournament and the first ball of one of the hosts' biggest red-ball assignments of the year.

There is currently no confirmed timeline on how long Nissanka's recovery will take. The right-handed opener is central to Sri Lanka's plans against Shubman Gill's side, and any prolonged absence at this stage of the WTC cycle would be a significant setback for the island nation.

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Nissanka is not the only player missing from the touring squad for the second Test. Right-arm fast bowler Lahiru Kumara has also been ruled out of the Antigua match after sustaining a hamstring injury on tour. Vishva Fernando or Isitha Wijesundara could come into the XI in his place, while Lahiru Udara or Pasindu Sooriyabandara are in line to replace the opener.

Sri Lanka's second Test against the West Indies begins in Antigua on Friday, July 3. After the West Indies series and the LPL, the focus shifts to the two-Test series against India, which starts on Saturday, August 15, with significant WTC 2025-27 points at stake for the hosts.