Sai Sudharsan Ruled Out of Sri Lanka Test Series with Toe Injury

India have suffered a fresh injury setback ahead of their two-match Test series in Sri Lanka. In-form No. 3 batter Sai Sudharsan has officially been ruled out with a toe injury.

Sudharsan has been battling a stress reaction in his right big toe. He first picked up the issue during India A's tour of Sri Lanka last month. He had been rehabbing at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru ever since. His injury was reported to be nearly healed. But the medical panel felt he wasn't sufficiently recovered to be cleared fit for the series. Sudharsan did not travel with the Indian squad to Sri Lanka. He also missed the ongoing three-day warm-up game against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo.

The timing stings for team management. Sudharsan walked into this tour in prime form. He smashed back-to-back centuries for India A in the same shadow series against Sri Lanka A last month. He piled up 332 runs across four innings in that outing. Those knocks had all but sealed his spot at No. 3 in the Test side. He has played seven Tests for India so far, scoring 383 runs at an average of 39 with three half-centuries.

With Sudharsan out, the No. 3 spot is now up for grabs. Devdutt Padikkal has put his hand up with a fluent century in the ongoing warm-up fixture. Sarfaraz Khan and Shaik Rasheed are also in the mix as replacement options for the selectors to weigh.

This adds to an already stretched India squad. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is already out with a knee issue, with Auqib Nabi Dar drafted in as cover. The two-match series gets underway on August 15 at the Galle International Stadium, before moving to the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo for the second Test from August 23. Sudharsan has been removed from India's Test squad for the tour, and this update will be revised once the BCCI names a formal replacement.