Devdutt Padikkal struck a fluent century as India faced a tough second day against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in their three-day warm-up match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground on Saturday. Padikkal scored 103 off 121 ballsbefore retiring out, but India lost wickets regularly after his departure and reached 256/8, still 107 runs behind the hosts' first-innings total of 363/8 declared.

Sri Lanka Cricket XI had dominated the opening day, declaring their innings at 363/8. They opted not to bat on the second day, giving the Indian batters valuable time in the middle ahead of the Test series.

Jaiswal Falls Early

India's innings began badly when Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a duck in the first over. The left-hander chased a delivery outside the off stump and was caught at backward point off Vishwa Fernando.

KL Rahul then joined Padikkal in the middle, and the Karnataka duo put together a 96-run partnership to steady India's innings.

Rahul looked comfortable during his 40-run stay but was eventually bowled by Keshara Nuwantha while attempting an aggressive shot.

Padikkal Makes His Case

With an opportunity to spend significant time at the crease, Padikkal made the most of it. He mixed caution with attacking strokes and handled both pace and spin confidently.

The left-hander brought up his century from 121 deliveries before retiring out on 103. His innings is likely to strengthen his case for a place in India's Test middle order, particularly with uncertainty surrounding the No. 3 position.

Padikkal's return to the crease later in the innings was also notable. After several Indian wickets fell, he came back to continue his innings, a move possible because of the nature of the practice match.

Pant, Jurel Depart Quickly

Following Padikkal's retirement, Rishabh Pant came out to bat but could manage only 2 runs before being dismissed.

Dhruv Jurel followed soon after, falling for just 1 run as India slipped further.

The quick wickets shifted momentum back towards the Sri Lanka Cricket XI bowlers after India's strong partnership between Rahul and Padikkal.

Jadeja Leads Recovery

Ravindra Jadeja then took responsibility for rebuilding the innings. He played patiently while also finding boundaries when opportunities arose.

Jadeja completed a half-century and eventually retired out on 63 from 117 balls. His partnership with Manav Suthar helped India move beyond the 200-run mark and reduced some of the pressure created by the middle-order collapse.

Jadeja's decision to retire out was another indication that India were using the practice match to give multiple batters meaningful time in the middle.

Suthar Misses Fifty

Manav Suthar also produced a useful performance with the bat. The all-rounder showed patience against the Sri Lankan attack and reached 41 from 90 balls.

He narrowly missed out on a deserved half-century after being trapped lbw by Asanka Manoj.

Suthar's dismissal left India eight wickets down at 256, with Mohammed Siraj at the crease.

Kuldeep Also Retires Out

After Jadeja retired out, Kuldeep Yadav joined Suthar but did not stay for long. The spinner scored just 1 run from 15 balls before retiring out.

Mohammed Siraj subsequently walked in and was unbeaten on 1 when Suthar departed.

India's score stood at 256/8 after 72.1 overs, leaving them 107 runs short of Sri Lanka Cricket XI's declared total.

Important Test Preparation

The warm-up game is an important opportunity for India's players to adjust to Sri Lankan conditions before the upcoming Test series.

Padikkal's century will be one of the major positives for the Indian team, while the performances of Jadeja and Suthar also provided useful batting practice.

India will now look to close the gap on the Sri Lanka Cricket XI total while giving their remaining batters more time at the crease before the Test series begins.

India have suffered another setback ahead of their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, with No. 3 batter Sai Sudharsan ruled out of the tour due to a toe injury. Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan and Andhra Pradesh's Shaik Rasheed are reportedly among the leading contenders to replace him in the Test squad.

India will begin the series on August 15 in Galle, with the second Test scheduled to start on August 23. The team is already dealing with several injury concerns, with Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar also unavailable for the series.

Sudharsan Ruled Out

According to a PTI report, Sudharsan has not recovered sufficiently from a big-toe injury sustained during India's A tour of Sri Lanka last month.

The batter has been undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The board's sports science and medical team has advised him to allow more time for the injury to heal fully before returning to Test cricket.

The assessment reportedly noted significant improvement but said the recovery was not yet sufficient for a safe return to competitive cricket.

Sudharsan had established himself as an important option in India's Test batting line-up and his absence leaves the team with another selection decision ahead of the opening Test.

Sarfaraz Among Replacement Options

With Sudharsan unavailable, Sarfaraz Khan has emerged as one of the leading candidates to be added to the squad, according to reports.

Andhra Pradesh batter Shaik Rasheed is also reportedly in contention for a place in the squad.

Sarfaraz has already represented India in Test cricket and has a first-class record that has kept him in consideration for the national team. Rasheed, meanwhile, is regarded as one of the emerging batting options from India's domestic system.

Padikkal Scores Century

While India are yet to formally announce Sudharsan's replacement, Devdutt Padikkal strengthened his own case for the No. 3 position with a century in the ongoing warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo.

Padikkal scored 103 runs from 121 deliveries on the second day of the three-day practice match.

He came to the crease after Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a duck and shared a 96-run partnership with KL Rahul. Rahul scored 40 before being bowled, while Padikkal continued to reach his century before retiring out.

His performance has given the team management another option for the opening Test.

Bumrah Also Unavailable

India's injury concerns extend beyond the batting department. Star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has already been ruled out of the Sri Lanka Test series.

Reports indicate that Bumrah has continued to experience discomfort in his left knee and has been advised to remain out of competitive cricket until he makes a full recovery.

Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi has subsequently received his maiden India call-up as Bumrah's replacement.

The development provides the young fast bowler with an opportunity to join the Test squad during an important overseas assignment.

Gill Suffers Thumb Injury

India captain Shubman Gill also picked up an injury scare during a practice session in Colombo.

Gill was reportedly struck on his right thumb by a delivery from a fast bowler during the team's net session on Thursday. He left the nets to consult the medical staff but later returned to training.

The injury has not been described as serious, although the Indian team will continue to monitor his condition ahead of the first Test.

India Face Selection Challenges

With Sudharsan ruled out and Bumrah unavailable, India's preparations for the Sri Lanka series have been disrupted by injuries.

The ongoing warm-up match is therefore particularly important for players competing for places in the final XI. Padikkal's century has strengthened his case, while the potential inclusion of Sarfaraz Khan or Shaik Rasheed could give India additional depth in the batting department.

The first Test in Galle on August 15 will provide the clearest indication of how India manage the latest changes to their squad.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will not hold a victory parade in Bengaluru after their IPL title win, the franchise confirmed on Monday, citing public safety concerns and official restrictions following last year’s deadly stampede.

No parade in city

The franchise said it had taken the decision after consulting civic authorities and the Bengaluru City Police, which last week issued an advisory discouraging public celebrations on city streets. According to officials, the police are unlikely to permit large-scale processions or open-road festivities in light of high-profile events and limited deployment capacity.

Police advisory, official reasons

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh had told media that the force “will not allow public celebrations” and urged fans to celebrate indoors to avoid disturbances. Sources familiar with the matter said the police cited two main reasons: the upcoming swearing-in of Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on 3 June, and the need to maintain law-and-order with senior dignitaries in the city.

“The state is already preparing for several large security tasks around the swearing-in. It is impractical to allocate resources for another major public event on the same day,” a senior police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters.

Context from last year

The decision comes against the backdrop of the June 4, 2025 stampede near M. Chinnaswamy Stadium that killed 11 people after RCB hastily organised a victory procession following their maiden title. That tragedy prompted public outrage, a police probe, and judicial scrutiny, with authorities under pressure to prevent a repeat. The memory of that night—chaotic scenes outside the stadium, ambulances ferrying the injured and relatives waiting for news—remains fresh with city residents.

Franchise’s cautious stance

RCB management argued the ban and the broader security situation made a city parade inadvisable. “We will respect the advisory and prioritise fan safety,” an RCB source told PTI. The team said it would explore alternative, controlled ways to connect with supporters, without giving details on whether those would include closed-venue events or virtual engagements.

Player availability and timing

Logistics and player commitments also influenced the decision. Several players are due to join national teams shortly: Devdutt Padikkal has been named to the India Test squad for the one-off match in Mullanpur and is expected to report by Wednesday, according to selectors. Overseas players such as Josh Hazlewood, Tim David, Jacob Duffy and Romario Shepherd face their respective international duties in the coming days. With many core members unavailable, organisers said a large public parade would not carry the same significance.

Ground-level reaction

Fans gathered near Koramangala and MG Road on Monday evening, where small groups chanted and waved team flags, but there was no organised street celebration. “We understood why the club won’t do a parade,” said Ravi Kumar, a long-time RCB supporter. “People are still upset about last year. It’s safer this way.”

Political calendar complicates matters

The swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan, scheduled for 4.10 pm on 3 June, drew particular attention because of its proximity to the Governor’s residence and Chinnaswamy Stadium. Officials said the clustering of high-profile events would mean a considerable deployment of police personnel and other security arrangements, making it difficult to accommodate spontaneous street celebrations.

What comes next

RCB has indicated it will work with state authorities to identify “safe, structured” ways to mark the win, possibly through closed stadium events or controlled fan zones. State officials said they would consider requests but will prioritise public safety and law-and-order requirements.

Legal and administrative follow-up

Last year’s stampede led to administrative inquiries and calls for better crowd management at sporting events. Legal experts say any future celebration will have to satisfy stricter permissions and documented crowd-control plans, or risk fresh legal challenges.