Sri Lanka will face India in the second Test of the series at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo from August 23 to 27. India enter the contest with a 1-0 lead after a dominant first-Test victory, while Sri Lanka will look to respond on home soil.
Match details
Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
Date: August 23 to 27, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM IST, 9:30 AM PST, 4:30 AM GMT
Team overviews
Sri Lanka have plenty to improve after their defeat in Galle. Their batting showed promise through Sonal Dinusha, who scored a century in the first innings and followed it with 80 in the second, but the hosts struggled to consistently handle India’s bowling attack.
The hosts will also miss several experienced players, with Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka and Dinesh Chandimal unavailable. Dhananjaya de Silva will once again lead the side and will need significant contributions from the younger batters.
India have taken strong momentum from the opening Test. Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul provided the foundation with the bat, while Manav Suthar produced a match-winning 10-wicket haul. Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna also played important roles as India secured a commanding victory.
With a 1-0 lead, India can seal the series in Colombo.
Key players
Sonal Dinusha: The Sri Lankan batter was the standout performer for the hosts in Galle. His ability to handle both pace and spin makes him a major batting threat in Colombo.
Manav Suthar: Suthar’s 10/131 in the first Test announced his arrival on the international stage. His flight and turn could again trouble Sri Lanka if the surface begins assisting spin.
KL Rahul: Rahul produced an important knock in the opening Test and brings valuable experience of playing in Sri Lankan conditions.
Ravindra Jadeja: Jadeja provides India with both batting depth and a reliable spin option, making him particularly important as the Colombo surface begins to deteriorate.
Head-to-head record
India have dominated the overall Test rivalry.
- Matches played: 47
- India wins: 23
- Sri Lanka wins: 7
- Draws: 17
At the Sinhalese Sports Club, however, Sri Lanka hold a slight advantage.
- Matches played: 9
- Sri Lanka wins: 3
- India wins: 2
- Draws: 4
Pitch report
The Sinhalese Sports Club surface should provide good batting conditions during the opening days. The captain winning the toss is likely to choose to bat first and make the most of the relatively favourable conditions.
The pitch could become increasingly helpful to bowlers after the third day. Spinners should come into the game as the surface wears, while fast bowlers could also find better carry and bounce. The first session each day could prove particularly important because the surface is expected to offer some early assistance.
Probable match scenarios
Scenario 1: India bat first
India will look to establish a substantial first-innings total and put Sri Lanka under scoreboard pressure. A strong start from Jaiswal and Rahul could allow India’s middle order to control the game.
Scenario 2: Sri Lanka bat first
Sri Lanka will need to maximise the early batting conditions. Dinusha and Dhananjaya de Silva could play important roles in helping the hosts build a competitive total before India’s spinners enter the contest.
Probable playing XIs
Sri Lanka
- Lahiru Udara
- Kamil Mishara
- Pasindu Sooriyabandara
- Kamindu Mendis
- Dhananjaya de Silva (Captain)
- Sonal Dinusha
- Niroshan Dickwella
- Keshara Nuwantha
- Prabath Jayasuriya
- Lahiru Kumara
- Asitha Fernando
India
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- KL Rahul
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Shubman Gill (Captain)
- Rishabh Pant
- Dhruv Jurel
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Manav Suthar
- Prasidh Krishna
- Mohammed Siraj
Live streaming and broadcast
India: Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV App.
Pakistan: The supplied details do not specify an official broadcaster or streaming platform for Pakistan.
UK: The supplied details do not specify an official UK broadcaster or streaming platform.
Australia: The supplied details do not specify an official Australian broadcaster or streaming platform.
Global: Broadcast and streaming information outside the supplied details should be confirmed with the relevant local rights holder.
Match prediction
Sri Lanka have historically enjoyed better results than India at the Sinhalese Sports Club, but the current form strongly favours the visitors. India’s batting has more depth, while their bowling attack demonstrated its ability to exploit the conditions in Galle. Manav Suthar’s confidence after his 10-wicket performance could be particularly significant if the Colombo surface starts turning from the third day onward.
Sri Lanka need major contributions from their inexperienced batting group and must find a way to counter India’s spin options. Dinusha’s form gives them a genuine batting threat, while Jayasuriya and the seamers could cause problems if they strike early.
India appear better equipped across both departments and have already demonstrated their superiority in the series. Prediction: India to win the second Test and seal the series 2-0.
