Finger injury keeps Gill out of Day 1 in warm-up match against SLC XI

India captain Shubman Gill will miss the opening day of the three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) XI after suffering an injury to his right ring finger during a practice session, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Friday.

Vice-captain KL Rahul has taken charge of the Indian side after SLC XI won the toss and opted to bat first.

“Captain Shubman Gill sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during India's practice on Thursday. As a precautionary measure, he will not take the field on Day 1 of the warm-up game against SLC XI. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress,” the BCCI said in a statement issued shortly after the toss.

The injury comes just days before India begin their two-Test series against Sri Lanka, with the first Test scheduled to start in Galle on August 15.

The warm-up fixture, which was originally planned as a four-day game but was reduced to three days, is an important opportunity for India to get accustomed to Sri Lankan conditions after last playing Test cricket in June. The team is expected to face challenging spin-friendly conditions during the series.

Gill injury adds to India’s concerns

The Indian squad is already managing a few fitness issues. Left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan is continuing his recovery from a minor injury at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, while premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is unavailable because of a knee injury.

Bumrah’s absence has opened the door for Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi, who has received his maiden Test call-up. Off-spin bowling all-rounder Saransh Jain has also been included in the squad, providing India with an additional spin option against a Sri Lankan batting line-up featuring several left-handed batters.

The warm-up match also marks the beginning of Subhadeep Ghosh’s tenure as India’s fielding coach. He takes over after the BCCI decided not to renew the contracts of former fielding coach T Dilip and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.

India, currently fifth in the World Test Championship standings, will be looking for a strong performance in the upcoming series as they aim to improve their position and strengthen their prospects of reaching the final.

For now, the Indian team will be hoping that Gill’s finger injury is minor and that the captain can return to full fitness ahead of the Test opener in Galle.

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