# Aakash Chopra picks Devdutt Padikkal at No. 3 for Sri Lanka Test

2026-08-14T04:40:26+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

Aakash Chopra has selected Devdutt Padikkal to replace injured Sai Sudharsan at No. 3 in his India XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka. Times Now reports that Sarfaraz Khan, who replaced Sudharsan in the squad, was left out of Chopra’s XI. Padikkal scored a century in a warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI and has played two Tests. Chopra chose Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna as India’s pace attack, with Jasprit Bumrah ruled out by a knee injury. His XI includes three specialist spinners, Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar and Kuldeep Yadav. The Test begins in Galle on August 15. NDTV also reports a surprise omission in Ravichandran Ashwin’s proposed XI, but does not identify the senior player in the available report.

## Coverage

- sports.ndtv.com <https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/big-surprise-in-indias-playing-xi-for-1st-test-senior-player-left-out-by-r-ashwin-11907833#publisher=newsstand>
- timesnownews.com <https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/aakash-chopra-names-his-playing-xi-for-1st-test-vs-sri-lanka-names-sai-sudharsan-replacement-article-155627896>

Tags: Galle Test, India cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sri Lanka tour, team selection
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