During the opening match of the two-test series between India and Sri Lanka at the Galle stadium, the hosts suffered a significant setback with veteran batsman Dinesh Chandimal sustaining an injury. While fielding during India's second innings, Chandimal sprinted from mid-wicket towards deep square leg and attempted a desperate dive to stop the ball, resulting in a heavy fall that forced him out of the match. To fill the sudden void, Pasindu Sooriyabandara was drafted into the Sri Lankan playing eleven as a concussion substitute for the remainder of the fixture.
Hospital Scans and Sooriyabandara's Domestic Record
Immediately following the incident, Chandimal was rushed to a hospital for precautionary scans. Sri Lanka Cricket later confirmed that the reports came back normal, showing no signs of any internal injuries. At the time of the mishap on the field, the experienced batter was seen repeatedly clutching his neck, head, and shoulder in discomfort. His replacement, Sooriyabandara, is making his debut test appearance in this match. He brings a strong domestic record into the side, having accumulated 4,893 runs across 68 first-class matches at an impressive average of 54.36, which includes 14 centuries to his name.
Team India Folded for 193 Runs in Second Innings
Meanwhile, on day four of the Galle test, the Indian batting lineup failed to replicate the effectiveness of their first innings, getting bowled out for a total of 193 runs. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant put up a resilient fight for the visitors with a valuable knock of 66 runs, while Devdutt Padikkal, who had scored a century in the opening essay, contributed 44 runs. Sri Lanka capitalized on the batting collapse through tight bowling performances, led by Asitha Fernando who claimed four crucial wickets, alongside Prabath Jayasuriya who picked up three dismissals.
