Sri Lanka’s veteran batter Dinesh Chandimal has been ruled out of the remainder of the first Test of the series against India at Galle International Stadium. On Day 4, Chandimal suffered a neck and shoulder injury while trying to save a boundary at deep square leg. He was taken to hospital where scans revealed a concussion.
Who is Chandimal’s concussion substitute?
26-year-old Pasindu Sooriyabandara has been named as Chandimal's concussion substitute. Sooriyabandara will make his Test debut. He was a part of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) XI in the three-day practice game against India. In Colombo, he registered scores of 35 and 4. He lost his wicket to Ravindra Jadeja in the first innings and Prasidh Krishna in the second.
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Sooriyabandara has plenty of first-class cricket experience. From 68 games, he has 4,893 runs at an average of 54.36 with a high score of 242. He has 14 centuries and 23 fifties in his first-class cricket career.
372-run target for Sri Lanka
India were bowled out for 193 in 48.5 overs in the first innings. Rishabh Pant was the top scorer with 66 runs from 69 balls. The visitors have set a 372-run target for Sri Lanka. The highest target chased down at the venue is 342. Pakistan chased it down in 2022.
The biggest run chase on Sri Lanka soil is 388 which the hosts achieved against Zimbabwe in Colombo in 2017.
Sri Lanka will have four sessions to break the record for the highest successful run chase at the venue.