Kusal Mendis has been ruled out of the current Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026. This raises questions over his participation in Sri Lanka’s forthcoming Test series against India.
The experienced wicketkeeper-batsman injured his hamstring while playing for the Colombo Kaps against the Kandy Royals on Sunday, July 20, at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. The home team triumphed by six wickets, although Kusal Mendis retired hurt after facing only four balls.
Kusal Mendis , who led the franchise this season, will now begin rehabilitation with Sri Lanka Cricket’s medical team.
The timing of the injury will cause a few sleepless nights for Sri Lankan fans. Dhananjaya de Silva and Co. will face India in a two-match Test series next month. The first Test will take place at the Galle International Stadium on August 15-19.
The second Test is scheduled to take place at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo from August 23 to 27. These two matches are part of the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The top two teams will face off in the final next year, as they have in the previous three editions.
India has played nine matches so far in the 2025-2027 World Cup cycle. They’ve won four games, lost four, and tied one. They have 48.15 percentage points and rank fifth in the standings. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is ranked sixth after four Tests, with one win, one loss, and two draws.
Kusal Mendis has 75 Test appearances for Sri Lanka, amassing 4,836 runs at an average of 36.36. He has 23 fifties and 10 centuries, with a top score of 245. He’d be hoping to heal in time for the high-profile series with India.
