Sonal Dinusha named captain of SLC XI for warm-up game against India

Bowling all-rounder Sonal Dinusha will lead a 15-member SLC XI in a three-day warm-up fixture against India at the NCC Grounds, with play set to commence at 10am local time on Friday.

The match is the sole preparatory fixture for the Shubman Gill-led Indian side before a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka opens at Galle on August 15.

The SLC XI carries a strong Test-hopeful contingent. Pacers Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando, off-spinner Ramesh Mendis, Nishan Madushka, Pavan Rathnayake and Anjala Bandara are among the seven players with realistic prospects of featuring in the Test squad.

A number of Sri Lanka's established Test regulars are occupied with the ongoing Lanka Premier League, leaving the warm-up as a significant audition for those in the SLC XI. Sri Lanka Cricket is yet to finalise its Test squad for the two-match series, so performances over the three days carry genuine selection weight.

Left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera arrives with notable credentials, having taken a 10-wicket match haul against India A, while Kesara Nuwantha contributed a five-wicket haul in the same series. Dinusha himself has made three Test appearances since debuting against Bangladesh last year, and captaining this fixture adds further profile to his case.

The three-day format gives India's squad members extended time in the middle before they encounter Sri Lanka's spin-friendly conditions in the Test series. Left-arm spinning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is set to make his first competitive appearance since the Indian Premier League 2026, making this outing particularly important for his match sharpness.

Uncapped players Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi, both newly called up to the squad, are also in line for game time. Top-order batter Sai Sudharsan is doubtful after sustaining a foot injury and is currently in rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. If Sudharsan is ruled out, Devdutt Padikkal is expected to slot in at number three.

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Nishan Madushka, Ravindu Rashantha, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Pavan Rathnayake, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Sonal Dinusha (captain), Anjala Bandara (wk), Nipun Dananjaya, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Asanka Manoj, Isitha Wijesundara, Ramesh Mendis, Kesara Nuwantha and Dilum Sudeera.