India’s preparations for the upcoming Test tour against Sri Lanka will commence on June 25 in Galle. Although the 2-match series will commence in mid-August, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has organised a shadow tour. India A, who recently won the ODI tri-series against Afghanistan A and Sri Lanka A, will play 2 unofficial Test matches.
Four players – Dhruv Jurel, Sai Sudharsan, Harsh Dubey, and Gurnoor Brar – who were part of India’s squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan have been selected for the red-ball matches. Jurel and Sudharsan both played in Mullanpur while Dubey and Brar warmed the bench.
Padikkal looks to challenge Jurel & Sudharsan
The tour will be important for both Jurel and Sudharsan. The duo have played 10 and 12 Test matches but are yet to seal their spots. The wicketkeeper averages just 34.14 despite batting at numbers 5, 6, and 7. Jurel has been playing as a batter with Rishabh Pant taking the gloves, and needs to perform to retain his spot.
Similarly, Sudharsan hasn’t done well in flat conditions in England and at home. He averages just 31.91, with 3 fifties to his name. He’s batted at three in all matches and hasn’t looked great against spin. The India A vs Sri Lanka A 1st Test will be the perfect opportunity to show everyone he can play in spin-friendly conditions.
Devdutt Padikkal has been in the scheme of things and has played for India in Test cricket. He can slot in at either position. If Jurel or Sudharsan slip up and Padikkal performs, their spot might be up for grabs a month later. The 24-year-old averaged 54.30 in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy and smashed a double hundred in the semifinal against Uttarakhand.
Opportunity for Harsh Dubey & Gurnoor Brar
Dubey and Brar were close to making their Test debuts in Mullanpur, but Manav Suthar and Prasidh Krishna piped them. Since then, both have made their ODI debuts against Afghanistan. Dubey is behind Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Suthar at the moment, but with a stellar performance in Galle, he can force the selectors to look towards him.
Similarly, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna are ahead in the pecking order. But Brar has that X-factor. He’s the tallest and fastest of the bunch. His pace and bounce can prove essential on lifeless wickets and force an error.
Others like Anshul Kamboj, who made his Test debut in England last year, and Auqib Nabi Dar, who hasn’t played for India A yet, will want to show their mettle with an away tour of New Zealand awaiting later in the year.
India A squad for Sri Lanka A unofficial Tests
Batters: Dhruv Jurel (c & wk), Sai Sudharsan, Ayush Pandey, Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, N Jagadeesan (wk), Aman Mokhade, Shaikh Rasheed
All-rounders: Harsh Dubey, Anshul Kamboj, Saransh Jain
Bowlers: Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi Dar, Yash Thakur, Zeeshan Ansari
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