The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to organise one practice game for the India men’s cricket team before the 2-match Test series in Sri Lanka. Team India is expected to land in the island nation on August 4 and acclimatise to the conditions.
India to play 1 practice game in Sri Lanka
According to RevSportz, Shubman Gill’s team will play one practice match before the India vs Sri Lanka Test series commences on August 15 in Galle. From August 7 onwards, they’ll play a 4-day match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC), which is located close to the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), the venue for the second Test. However, at the moment, it’s unclear whether that will be against Sri Lanka ‘A’, a domestic Sri Lanka team, or an intra-squad match. After the 4-day game ends, India will travel to Galle.
For the unaware, India hasn’t toured Sri Lanka for a Test series since 2017. KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav are the only present cricketers with experience of playing Test cricket in the island nation. Therefore, the tour poses a difficult challenge.
One can’t forget that the World Test Championship (WTC) points are on the line. India is currently 5th in the race and has a tough road ahead with away tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Following which, Australia will arrive in India for a 5-match Test series.
Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey, all of whom are expected to be selected, have a good understanding of the weather and surfaces, as they were part of the India ‘A’ team that played two unofficial Test matches against Sri Lanka ‘A’ in June-July. However, other players aren’t privy to the conditions.
It’s in India’s best interests to hold a camp and play a practice game. Mind you, after India’s loss to South Africa, captain Gill had pointed out how little time they had to prepare for Test matches. Luckily, most players have some time to get into Test groove. The India vs England ODI series ending on July 19 and the India vs Zimbabwe T20I series concluding on July 26. The BCCI has yet to announce the squad for the Sri Lanka Test series. It’ll likely be out in the next week, before the Zimbabwe series commences on July 23.
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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