Pneumonia rules Sri Lanka's Chandimal out of first Test against India

Rangana Herath is set to take over as Sri Lanka captain against India next week after Dinesh Chandimal contracted pneumonia.

Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal will miss the first Test against India after being hospitalised with pneumonia.

Chandimal led Sri Lanka to victory against Zimbabwe in his first Test as skipper after the hosts pulled off an Asian record run chase in Colombo, but he has since been laid low and will not be available for the opening match against the world's top-ranked side.

Spinner Rangana Herath is set to take over as captain in the absence of Chandimal for at least one Test.

Sri Lanka cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha said on Friday: "We were actually only told late last night — the blood test came a bit late. He's got pneumonia.

"He was admitted to hospital this morning at 9 a.m., and he's definitely out of the first Test.

"The doctors have advised us this morning to say: 'Finish the first Test' and they'll advise us afterwards. If they tell us he needs another week to recover, that's it.

"We can't do anything. He had started feeling unwell on Tuesday after the Zimbabwe Test, but we never suspected it would be anything like pneumonia."

The first Test against India gets under way in Galle next Wednesday.