Senior Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav missed out on retaining his place in the playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. The BCCI quashed the rumours surrounding his absence and revealed that he was down with a viral illness. “UPDATE: Mr Kuldeep Yadav has not fully recovered from his viral illness. He was unavailable for selection in the Playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka. However, he can take the field as a concussion substitute, if required,” the BCCI wrote on X.

Kuldeep didn’t train with the team on the eve of the second Test, which all but confirmed that he won’t be part of the playing XI. India coach Sitanshu Kotak broke his silence on Kuldeep’s absence after the first day’s play.

“I don’t think this is a relevant question. He genuinely had viral when he left from there (Galle). If the team needs an off-spinner, there is no need to say that he (Kuldeep) isn’t well. If the guy is in no position to play, there is no point thinking about what would have been done if he would have been fit. It’s unfair to think like that,” Kotak said after the first day’s play.

Kuldeep only scalped one wicket in the first Test in Galle. He was underbowled in Sri Lanka’s second innings and he only bowled 11 overs. Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja bowled more than 20 overs each.

Saransh Jain was handed his debut Test cap and he replaced Kuldeep. The bowling all-rounder recently played for India A. Saransh, 33, created history on his debut and he became the oldest Indian Test debutant in this century. He will bowl during the second day’s play.

Courtesy of Devdutt Padikkal’s century, India finished the day with a score of 300/5. Shubman Gill scored a crucial 50 while Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed for 43. Asitha Fernando shone with the ball on day 1 and he took a three-fer.