Sarfaraz Khan Returns to India Test Squad, Replaces Injured Sai Sudharsan for Sri Lanka Series

Sarfaraz Khan Returns to India Test Squad After Nearly Two Years

Sarfaraz Khan’s wait for another opportunity in India’s Test setup has finally ended. The Mumbai batter has been recalled to the squad as a replacement for injured Sai Sudharsan ahead of India’s upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.

The 28-year-old was last part of India’s Test squad during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His most recent Test appearance came against New Zealand in November 2024, when he scored a century in Bengaluru. India, however, went on to lose the series 3-0 at home.

The BCCI confirmed that Sarfaraz will join the Indian squad in Colombo before the team travels to Galle for the opening Test, scheduled to begin on August 15, 2026.

Sarfaraz has been one of the most prolific run-scorers in Indian first-class cricket, boasting an average of 64.73 from 62 matches. Despite his impressive domestic record, he has received limited opportunities at the international level.

He made his Test debut against England in February 2024 and made an immediate impact, scoring half-centuries in both innings. Across six Tests, Sarfaraz has scored 371 runs at an average of 37.10, including three fifties.

His recall also follows a major focus on fitness. Sarfaraz has worked extensively on his conditioning in recent months, making significant changes as he looks to establish himself in India’s Test plans once again.

Sai Sudharsan Ruled Out

Sarfaraz’s return comes after Sai Sudharsan was ruled out of the Sri Lanka series with a right-toe stress reaction.

Sudharsan sustained the injury during India A’s tour of Sri Lanka last month. Before being sidelined, the left-hander had strengthened his position at No. 3 after producing outstanding performances, including centuries in both unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka A.

Although Sudharsan has made considerable progress during his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, the medical team has continued to monitor his recovery and has not cleared him for the upcoming Test series.

India Face Multiple Injury Concerns

Sarfaraz’s addition comes at a challenging time for India, with several players unavailable because of injuries.

Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out, while Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy are also unavailable with hamstring and quadriceps injuries. Washington Sundar will miss the first Test after suffering a hamstring problem, while Akash Deep remains sidelined as he recovers from stress reactions in his back.

The injuries have forced the selectors to make several changes ahead of the two-match series, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.

India’s Updated Test Squad for Sri Lanka

Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi, Sarfaraz Khan.