WTC – SL vs Ind 1st Test toss – Devdutt Padikkal comes in as India opt to bat; Keshara Nuwantha debuts for Sri Lanka

Toss India chose to bat vs Sri Lanka

Shubman Gill won only his third toss in nine Tests as captain and, as expected, decided to bat first on a Galle track expected to help bowlers less than it usually does.

The pitch had an even grass covering and no dry patches. It was expected to seam a bit as the early moisture dried, but then ease out into a batting beauty.

India replaced the injured B Sai Sudharsan with another left-hand batter at No. 3, Devdutt Padikkal. Their XI went along expected lines with three left-arm spinners and two fast bowlers in Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.

Sri Lanka made a surprising change, giving a debut to the 25-year-old offspinner Keshara Nuwantha ahead of Ramesh Mendis. The rest of the XI was as anticipated with Nishan Madushka filling in for the injured opener Pathum Nissanka, and Niroshan Dickwella making a Test comeback after three years.

This is the 50th Test in Galle, and India’s 600th outing in Test cricket. Both sides are stranded in the middle of the table, and need a 2-0 clean sweep in the series to give themselves a realistic chance of making the final of the World Test Championship.

Sri Lanka: 1 Lahiru Udara, 2 Nishan Madushka, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Kamindu Mendis, 5 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Sonal Dinusha, 8 Prabath Jayasuriya, 9 Keshara Nuwantha, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Lahiru Kumara

India: 1 KL Rahul, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Dhruv Jurel, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Manav Suthar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Prasidh Krishna

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