India won the first Test at Galle by 165 runs and now travel to Colombo for the second Test scheduled from August 23 to 27, 2026 at the Sinhalese Sports Club. The victory has lifted India to fifth in the World Test Championship table, but the team faces selection decisions ahead of the second match.
Several players underperformed in the first Test, creating opportunities for changes in the playing XI. Yashasvi Jaiswal was run out early, while captain Shubman Gill lost his wickets cheaply. These struggles in the top order will influence India’s selection strategy for Colombo.
Here are the predicted XI for the second Test for India vs Sri Lanka:
Top order: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal
Indian opener KL Rahul scored 82 in India’s first innings and will be key to stabilising the top order. The No.3 batter Devdutt Padikkal impressed with 167 and 44 across both innings, demonstrating the form required on turning pitches. Padikkal’s consistency makes him a strong candidate to continue in the XI. But, the left-handed batter Yashasvi Jaiswal struggled in both innings giving away his wickets cheaply.