India Bowlers Face Tough Day Against Sri Lanka XI in Warm Up Match
India bowlers struggled to make early breakthroughs as Sri Lanka XI posted a commanding total on the opening day of the warm up match despite a late fightback from the spin attack.
India’s bowling unit endured a challenging start in the warm up match against Sri Lanka XI as the hosts finished the opening day in a strong position with 363 runs for the loss of eight wickets. While the spinners managed to pull things back later in the innings, the pace attack found it difficult to make an early impact.
Sri Lanka XI built a solid platform through an impressive opening partnership. Nishan Madushka and Ravindu Rasantha frustrated the Indian bowlers by adding 110 runs for the first wicket, giving their side complete control during the morning session. Madushka scored 66, while Rasantha contributed 71 before both were eventually dismissed.
The middle order also ensured that the momentum remained with the home side. Sonal Dinusha struck a composed half century, while Pawan Ratnayake, Vikramsinghe, and Pasindu Suriyabandara added useful runs to help Sri Lanka XI move beyond the 350 run mark before stumps.
India’s spin department provided the much needed breakthroughs after the fast bowlers struggled for success. Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Manav Suthar claimed two wickets each, while Gurnoor Brar added one wicket to the tally. Their efforts prevented Sri Lanka XI from posting an even bigger score.
The performance of the pace attack remained a concern for the visitors. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna bowled a combined 21 overs but failed to take a wicket, conceding 76 runs. Young pacer Saransh Jain also went wicketless despite bowling an extended spell.
India also missed the presence of regular captain Shubman Gill on the opening day. Gill was unavailable after suffering a finger injury during a practice session on Thursday, leading to KL Rahul taking charge of the side for the warm up fixture.
Team management remains hopeful that Gill will recover in time to feature on the second day of the match. If he is not declared fit, he is expected to make his return in the opening Test against Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to begin on August 15.
