Sarfaraz Khan arrived with the India Test squad in Sri Lanka as a replacement for Sai Sudharsan. Ravindra Jadeja displayed a new sticker on his bat during the session in Colombo. Sarfaraz smiled upon stepping off the team bus and exchanged greetings with support staff before joining the group. After a brief meeting, the players followed a detailed plan under the hot sun. The central pitch, dry and cracked like a fourth-day surface, was prepared for spin practice. Head coach Gautam Gambhir observed from a good position. Batters followed the expected order for the Galle Test, rotating to maintain focus. Spinners Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain bowled most deliveries, while only Auqib Nabi provided pace. The team used old, new and semi-new balls to simulate match conditions. Nabi bowled with effort as other fast bowlers rested after the recent multi-day game. Captain Shubman Gill used throwdown specialists and coach Sitanshu Kotak for extra practice against reverse swing. He faced one new ball and two older ones, staying mostly in control. Other batters adjusted to the rough surface, playing solid defenses, sweeps and drives over a session lasting more than three hours. Jadeja showed his bat sticker featuring his horse, while Sarfaraz demonstrated improved fitness. Players from Bengaluru shared time together, and the massage table stayed active. India has trained daily at the NCC Ground for six days, mixing matches and nets to prepare for the series opener in Galle on August 15. The team will arrive in Galle on August 11 for three final sessions.
