Ashmita Chalika reaches the final of the Korea Masters tournament, where she will face a Chinese athlete

The Indian team faced an unwelcome surprise before the start of the two-match test series against Sri Lanka. Left-handed batsman Sai Sudarshan has been forced to withdraw from the series due to injury. He sustained damage to his big toe and was undergoing rehabilitation at the Indian Cricket Council's (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bangalore.

Sai Sudarshan's selection for the Indian squad touring Sri Lanka was contingent upon receiving medical clearance. He was actively recovering from the injury and had resumed net practice. However, he ultimately could not fully recover by the time the Test series began and was excluded from both matches.

Sudarshan's exclusion will inevitably lead to adjustments in the Indian team's batting lineup. His presence provided a reliable option for a left-handed batsman. The coaching staff now needs to formulate an optimal squad from the available players.

Devdhadhath Padikkal is among the players who might get a chance to step in for Sudarshan. Furthermore, the team has other options for reinforcement in the batting line-up. Before the start of the Test series, the team management must make an important decision regarding the playing XI.

Sudarshan was battling a minor big toe injury. Because of this, he could not travel with the Indian team to Sri Lanka and remained in rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bangalore. His condition was closely monitored.

Initially, there were hopes that Sudarshan would recover completely in time to participate in the Test series against Sri Lanka. Although he started training, his physical condition proved insufficient for participation in the series.

This two-match series between India and Sri Lanka is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27. Consequently, every earned point for both teams holds significant value.

The Indian team intends to strengthen its position in the current WTC cycle. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka aims to capitalize on the advantages of playing on home soil. It is expected that the Indian batsmen and bowlers will be tested in conditions favorable to spin bowling.

Before the Test series commences, the Indian team is participating in a three-day friendly match in Colombo. This match will allow assessment of how well the players adapt to Sri Lankan conditions. The role of spin bowling is anticipated to be key in the Test series.

The first match of the series between India and Sri Lanka will take place from August 15 to 19 at the Galle International Stadium in Galle, starting at 10 am. The second and final match will be held from August 23 to 27 at the SSC Ground in Colombo, also starting at 10 am.

The Indian squad for the tour of Sri Lanka includes: Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Devdhadhath Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Sutara, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Barara, and Saransh Jana. Note: Sai Sudarshan was included in this list conditional on receiving medical clearance, but he will now not participate in the Test series due to injury.

India's schedule in Sri Lanka:

• August 7-9: Three-day friendly match, Colombo
• August 15-19: First Test, Galle, starting at 10:00 AM
• August 23-27: Second Test, Colombo, starting at 10:00 AM

Jan-Hendrik Heymans from South Africa won the javelin throw competition, securing the gold medal at the U20 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, early Saturday morning South African time.

U20 World Athletics Championships

The 19-year-old athlete, who was considered a favorite for the tournament, lived up to expectations by deciding to save his best throw for the very end. He launched the javelin to a distance of 80.50 m to secure the world championship title.

Prior to this, Heymans had already demonstrated his skill in the competition, posting a starting throw of 76.92 m, and later improving his result to a personal record of 79.42 m in the fifth round. However, his performance continued when he made the final throw of 80.50 m. This result allowed him to increase his personal record, set before arriving in Oregon, by more than three meters, and establish a new junior U20 world record.

This marked an ideal conclusion to a dominant performance, as Heymans managed to throw the javelin over 76 meters in every round. Meanwhile, Ashish Yadav from India took silver with a result of 74.09 m, and Edison James from Dominica won bronze, setting a national record of 73.89 m.

Nevertheless, for Heymans, the evening belonged exclusively to South Africa, as he added the first gold medal for the South African team at the championships after Jaco van Dijk's bronze medal in shot put on the first day. His victory followed shortly after Leendert Kokemoer won bronze in the 400 meters race, bringing South Africa's total medals in Eugene to three: one gold and two bronzes.

This victory also marks another important milestone in what is proving to be a breakthrough year for the talented young thrower, who has now firmly established himself among the leading junior javelin throwers in the world.