Shubman Gill has been ruled out of Day 1 of India's practice match against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI (SLC XI) after sustaining an impact injury on his finger.

The Indian captain suffered the injury during a training session on Thursday (August 6). He sat out the opening day of the warm-up fixture to prevent further damage.

The decision was confirmed at the toss on Friday (August 7) morning, with KL Rahul leading the side in Gill's absence.

The BCCI also issued a statement, confirming that the medical team is actively monitoring Gill’s recovery and progress.

“Captain Shubman Gill sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during India's practice on Thursday. As a precautionary measure, he will not take the field on Day 1 of the warm-up game against SLC XI. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress. KL Rahul will lead the team in Gill's absence,” the statement read.

After featuring in a three-day practice match at the NCC in Colombo, Team India will travel to Galle for the series opener starting August 15. They will return to Colombo for the second Test, slated to be held at the Sinhalese Sports Club from August 23-27.

This series is extremetly crucial for Shubman Gill's men as they aim to climb from fifth position in the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) standings.