Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal will miss next week's first test against India after being diagnosed with pneumonia, dealing a big blow to the hosts ahead of the three-match home series.
The 27-year-old was named Test captain earlier this month after long-serving skipper Angelo Mathews stepped down following Sri Lanka's first one-day international series defeat to Zimbabwe.
The right-handed batsman then led Sri Lanka to a win in the one-off Test against the same opposition.
"Chandimal was down with flu and was taken to the hospital this morning," a Sri Lanka Cricket spokesman told Reuters.
The first Test against the Virat Kohli-led India starts on Wednesday in Galle.
"We were actually only told late last night - the blood test came a bit late. He's got pneumonia," Asanka Gurusinha, Sri Lanka's cricket manager, was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
"He was admitted to hospital this morning at 9:00am and he's definitely out of the first Test."
Sri Lanka have limited-overs captain Upul Tharanga in the side, while spin spearhead Rangana Herath has also led the side in the absence of Mathews.
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