Jadeja bats at No.4 as Gill remains absent in warm-up

Ravindra Jadeja walked in at number four after India lost their second wicket in the warm-up against Sri Lanka XI. Shubman Gill didn't bat on day two either — his continued absence forcing India to shuffle the order before the Test series even begins.

India reached 357 for eight in 90 overs at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground. Devdutt Padikkal went unbeaten on 142 after retiring on his century, while Jadeja chipped in 63 before retiring out. The match left India trailing by six runs heading into day three.

Gill's no-show in both warm-up innings raises questions about fitness or preparation strategy ahead of the Tests. If No.4 really is his slot in the series proper, he'll need to settle in fast.