Top 3 batters to watch out for in SL vs IND 2nd Test

Team India head into the 2nd Test of the series against Sri Lanka with a 1-0 lead after winning the Galle Test by 165 runs. The match at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo is set to be another closely contested affair between the two sides.

The first Test of the two-match series, played from August 15 to 19, 2026, produced some outstanding individual batting performances on both sides. Three batters in particular stand out heading into the second match, and their form will be central to how the contest unfolds.

Here are the three batters to watch out for in the second Test:

3. Shubman Gill (India, captain)

Shubman Gill captains India in this series and bats at No. 4 in the playing XI. He endured a difficult first Test at Galle, suffering what the editor describes as a rare double failure with the bat. In the first innings, Gill was dismissed when India’s team score stood at 236 in the 62nd over. In the second innings, he was dismissed lbw by Prabath Jayasuriya, bowled on the sweep, with India at 111 for 4. Despite those setbacks, Gill remains a key figure in India’s batting order as captain, and the SSC surface in Colombo will offer him a fresh opportunity to contribute at a critical position in the lineup.

2. Devdutt Padikkal (India)

Devdutt Padikkal was the standout batter of the first Test, scoring 167 in India’s first innings while batting at No. 3. His knock was only his third Test match appearance, making the performance all the more notable. Padikkal used the depth of the crease effectively against spin throughout his innings and reached the 150-run mark with a flick over wide mid-on off Asitha Fernando. He was eventually dismissed at the fall of the fifth wicket with India’s score at 357 in the 91st over.

His 167 contributed significantly to India’s first-innings total of 462, which gave them a 178-run lead over Sri Lanka. Padikkal was named Player of the Match for his game-changing knock on a tricky wicket.

1. Sonal Dinusha (Sri Lanka)

Sonal Dinusha was Sri Lanka’s most consistent batter across both innings of the first Test. Batting at No. 7, he scored 100 in the first innings as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 284. He was dismissed at the fall of the seventh wicket with the team score at 199 in the 75th over.

In the second innings, Dinusha scored 84 off 128 balls, hitting eight fours and one six at a strike rate of 65.62, before being caught by Jurel off Suthar. That knock left him just 16 runs short of a second hundred in the same match. His ability to perform against disciplined bowling at a lower-order position makes him a key watch for the 2nd Test at Colombo.