\u201cJadeja will definitely play. Manav Suthar took seven wickets in the last game - he'll play. And Kuldeep Yadav should also play. That makes three spinners. I think they should go with Saransh Jain at No. 7, which leaves - No. 5 Rishabh Pant, No. 4 Shubman Gill, No. 3 Devdutt Padikkal or Sai Sudharsan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and KL Rahul. That leaves two fast-bowler spots,\u201d Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India's squad marks the return of Ravindra Jadeja to the Test set-up after recovering from the tennis elbow injury that had sidelined him since the IPL earlier this year. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar has retained his place after an impressive outing, while wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav is also available, giving the team management multiple spin options for conditions expected to favour slow bowlers in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ashwin also highlighted the importance of Sai Sudharsan's fitness, believing the young left-hander could play a crucial role if declared fit before the opening Test.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"First, I think India's biggest loss here could be Sai Sudharsan's fitness because he scored two centuries recently in the India 'A' series - one of them was at Galle, which has unique conditions. The wind, how the ball turns, the angles - it takes time to learn all that. But he made a hundred there. If he stays fit, it could be an advantage for India. His confidence will be high. And Sri Lanka always depend on spin - Sai Sudharsan is a good player of spin. So he could be useful. I hope he's fit, and it shouldn't be a setback,\" Ashwin added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ashwin also highlighted the importance of Sai Sudharsan's fitness, believing the young left-hander could play a crucial role if declared fit before the opening Test.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ashwin added that while Devdutt Padikkal would be a worthy replacement if required, his preference would still be for Sudharsan to carry his recent form into the longest format. \"Devdutt Padikkal getting a chance in his place is not a bad thing. He has been a brilliant performer in domestic cricket. But I'd prefer Sudharsan to take his form into Test cricket,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n