Pasindu Sooriyabandara Named Concussion Substitute for Injured Chandimal in Galle Test

On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, Pasindu Sooriyabandara was officially approved as Sri Lanka’s concussion substitute for Dinesh Chandimal on Day 4 of the first Test against India at Galle International Stadium. Chandimal was ruled out of the match after failing a concussion assessment following a neck and shoulder injury sustained while diving to stop a boundary during the opening session of India’s second innings.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said the match referee signed off on the like-for-like replacement, clearing the 26-year-old reserve batter to bat in Chandimal’s place as the hosts prepared for a steep fourth-innings chase.

Editor’s note: This article draws on statements from Sri Lanka Cricket and match reports from Sportstar (The Hindu), Hindustan Times, and Cricinfo-referenced coverage, August 18, 2026.

Match at a glance

Detail	Information
Series	India tour of Sri Lanka 2026 — 2 Tests
Match	1st Test, Day 4
Date	Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Venue	Galle International Stadium, Galle
Session	Opening session, India’s second innings
Injured player	Dinesh Chandimal (neck, shoulder; concussion ruled out)
Replacement	Pasindu Sooriyabandara (concussion substitute, match-referee approved)
Chase target	Sri Lanka required 371 after India were bowled out for 193

How Chandimal was injured

The incident came toward the end of the fourth over of the morning session. With India batting in their second innings, Chandimal sprinted from deep mid-wicket and threw himself horizontally to intercept a shot from KL Rahul before the ball could reach the boundary rope.

He landed awkwardly, hitting his right shoulder and head hard on the turf, and remained on the ground clutching his neck. Teammates and Sri Lanka’s medical staff attended to him before he walked back to the dressing room.

SLC’s initial statement said Chandimal sustained an injury to his right shoulder and neck while diving to prevent a boundary during fielding. He was assessed on the ground by the team physiotherapist and doctor, then taken to hospital for a precautionary scan.

A later update said the scan showed no signs of internal injury, but Chandimal was subsequently evaluated for concussion at the venue and failed that assessment, ending his participation in the match.

Stage	Outcome
On-field assessment	Neck and shoulder injury confirmed; player left the field
Hospital scan	Clear — no internal injury detected
Concussion test	Failed — ruled out for remainder of Test
Replacement	Pasindu Sooriyabandara approved as concussion substitute

Chandimal had contributed 4 runs from 16 balls in Sri Lanka’s first innings before falling to left-arm spinner Manav Suthar.

Who is Pasindu Sooriyabandara?

Pasindu Sooriyabandara, born October 19, 1999, is a 26-year-old top-order batter named in Sri Lanka’s squad as reserve cover for the India series. He had already entered the field earlier on Day 4 as a substitute fielder before the formal concussion-replacement process was completed.

Sooriyabandara featured for the Sri Lanka Cricket XI in a tour match against India the previous week, scoring 35 and 4 across two innings — match practice that team management cited when selecting him as the approved replacement.

With Chandimal unavailable, Sooriyabandara was expected to slot into the Sri Lankan batting order at No. 3 during the hosts’ run chase.

Concussion substitutes in Test cricket

Under ICC playing conditions, a team may request a concussion substitute when a player is diagnosed with concussion during a match. The replacement must be deemed a like-for-like swap by the match referee — typically a batter for a batter, or a bowler for a bowler.

This was the third time Sri Lanka have used a concussion substitute in Test cricket:

Year	Out	In	Opponent / venue
2022	Kasun Rajitha	Vishwa Fernando	vs Bangladesh, Chattogram
2024	Kasun Rajitha	Chamika Gunasekara	vs Afghanistan, Colombo (SSC)
2026	Dinesh Chandimal	Pasindu Sooriyabandara	vs India, Galle

The rule, introduced across formats in 2019 after several high-profile head injuries, is designed to let teams replace a concussed player without carrying a permanent numerical disadvantage — while still requiring medical clearance and referee approval.

Impact on Sri Lanka’s chase

India’s second innings ended at 193 all out, setting Sri Lanka a target of 371 on a wearing Galle surface. Losing Chandimal — one of Sri Lanka’s most experienced batters and a former captain — removed a key figure from a lineup already facing a demanding fourth-innings task against India’s spin-heavy attack.

Sooriyabandara’s inclusion gave Sri Lanka a specialist top-order option rather than reshuffling lower-order batters or asking part-time contributors to fill a high-pressure No. 3 role. How he handled the situation on debut in a home Test against India would shape the closing stages of the opening match of the two-Test series.

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Discussion

Chandimal’s injury and Sooriyabandara’s elevation highlight how concussion protocols can change a Test match’s balance in real time.

1. Should concussion substitutes always be limited to like-for-like swaps, or is there room for teams to bring in a closer tactical match when a senior batter is ruled out mid-chase?

Sooriyabandara was the squad’s designated reserve — but does that always produce the fairest outcome when experience, not just batting role, is what the team loses?

2. Chandimal’s scan was clear yet he still failed the concussion assessment. Does that sequence strengthen confidence in cricket’s return-to-play standards, or leave fans uncertain about how serious the injury really is?

Share your view on Sooriyabandara’s call-up and whether Sri Lanka can realistically chase down 371 without Chandimal.

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