SL vs IND 2026: 3 changes Sri Lanka should make to win 2nd Test

India defeated Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the 1st Test at Galle in an emphatic fashion. The result handed India a 1-0 advantage in the two-match series, with the 2nd Test scheduled at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo from August 23 to 27.

Sonal Dinusha was Sri Lanka's most reliable batter across both innings, scoring 100 in the first and 84 in the second. Beyond Dinusha and a few others, the hosts found it difficult to build partnerships against India's spin attack, led by left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who finished with a 10-wicket match haul of 4/76 and 6/55.

After getting dominated by the visitors in the series opener, the hosts need to put up a strong show to avoid a whitewash.

Here are 3 changes Sri Lanka should make to win the 2nd Test:

1. Bat with positive intent against India's spinners

Sri Lanka's batting was largely passive against India's spinners across both innings at Galle. Suthar's series bowling average stood at 13.10 after the 1st Test, reflecting how effectively he tied down and dismissed the Sri Lankan batters. Dinusha's 100 in the first innings and 84 in the second showed what positive intent could produce, yet the rest of the batting order failed to match that approach.

At the SSC in Colombo, Sri Lanka's batters will need to be more proactive from the outset, looking to disrupt the rhythm of India's spinners rather than allowing them to settle into long spells. Niroshan Dickwella's 80 in the first innings at Galle was another example of what aggression can achieve, and the team needs more batters to replicate that mindset in the 2nd Test.