The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced the dates and venues for the upcoming 2-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka. The two Asian teams haven’t played red-ball cricket against each other since 2022, and India hasn’t toured Sri Lanka for a Test series since 2017.
Dates for IND vs SL Tests out
Reports had already revealed the dates and venues for the matches, and the SLC has confirmed them to be true. At the moment, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has sent India’s development team, the ‘A’ side, to Sri Lanka to play 2 first-class matches in Galle. India A defeated Sri Lanka A in the first one, while the second game is currently underway.
In January, SLC requested to add 3 T20I matches to the pre-existing 2 Test matches, and the BCCI accepted as a goodwill gesture to raise funds for those affected by Cyclone Ditwah, which caused extensive damage in several parts of Sri Lanka. However, since then, the BCCI has walked back on the commitment.
BCCI says no to T20Is
It was reported that the BCCI didn’t agree to play white-ball matches on the Sri Lanka tour and that the SLC pursued them. But due to a jam-packed schedule, the T20Is aren’t possible. The Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 season will end on August 9. Therefore, it’s impossible to host 3 matches before the Test series kicks off on August 15.
Therefore, the T20Is can only be played after the Test series ends on August 27. However, India is expected to tour Bangladesh in September and play Afghanistan at home in September. Therefore, fitting the matches is virtually impossible. The Bangladesh series has yet to be confirmed, but the Afghanistan series is.
India vs Sri Lanka Test series schedule
| Match No. | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | August 15 to 19 | Galle International Cricket Stadium, Galle |
| 2nd Test | August 23 to 27 | Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Cricket Ground, Colombo |
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