SLC XI reached 363 for 8 at Stumps on the first day of the three-day warm-up match before the two-Test series, giving India’s bowlers a long workout. India deployed a total of seven bowlers. Their most seasoned spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, led the way with two-wicket hauls after losing the toss on a calm surface. Manav Suthar, a left-arm spinner, also returned figures of 2 for 33. During training, Shubman Gill had an impact injury to his right ring finger, which prevented him from playing.
At the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo, SLC XI made the most of the batting-friendly conditions with an opening stand of 110, with openers Nishan Madushka and Ravindu Rasantha smashing half-centuries and making India sweat.
Rasantha and Pasindu Sooriyabandara continued to anchor the innings, adding another 61-run partnership that took the hosts to 138 for 1 at lunch, but India eventually made progress after Madushka was run out.
After the interval, Jadeja bowled Sooriyabandara for 35, which was the first breakthrough. Before Suthar beat him in the air and caught him in the deep, Rasantha scored a measured 71. With a quick 39, Pavan Rathnayake momentarily changed course and launched Saransh Jain and Gurnoor Brar for maximums. Just before Tea, a short ball from Brar accounted for him. After dismissing Ahan Wickramasinghe for 31 and trapping Anjala Bandara LBW to reduce Sri Lanka XI to 284 for 6, Kuldeep had his best spell of the day. But for a while, Sonal Dinusha and Ramesh Mendis kept India at bay. Mendis quickly amassed 63 runs for the seventh wicket before being caught at slip off Jadeja.
Dinusha was dismissed by Suthar shortly after reaching his half-century, while the remaining 2.2 overs were easily dismissed by Keshara Nuwantha and Dilum Sudeera.
Brief Scores: Manav Suthar 2-33, Ravindra Jadeja 2-64, Kuldeep Yadav 2-76; Sri Lanka Cricket XI (Ravindu Rasantha 71, Nishan Madushka 66, Sonal Dinusha 52) vs. India