India are set to begin a crucial two Test assignment in Sri Lanka on August 15, with the series offering both teams an important opportunity to strengthen their position in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.
Shubman Gill will lead India, with Gautam Gambhir continuing as head coach. However, the visitors have had to deal with several fitness issues ahead of the series. Uncapped fast bowler Auqib Nabi was brought into the squad as Bumrah’s replacement. Sri Lanka will be led by Dhananjaya de Silva and will look to make the most of familiar conditions. Experienced batter Pathum Nissanka is also missing as he continues his recovery from wrist surgery.
Because of his ongoing left knee problem, while Sai Sudharsan was also subsequently ruled out, with Devdutt Padikkal emerging as an option in the top order, jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out. Because of injury, niroshan Dickwella returns to the Test side after an absence of three years, with regular wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis unavailable. Their squad includes a mix of experienced campaigners and uncapped players, while Niroshan Dickwella has returned to the Test setup after last playing international cricket in 2023. The opening Test will begin on Friday, August 15, at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. The second and final Test will start on Saturday, August 23, at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Sri Lanka squad for India Tests Sri Lanka have selected a 16 member squad for the opening Test, with Dhananjaya de Silva as captain and Kamindu Mendis as his deputy.
India are chasing a third appearance in the World Test Championship final, while Sri Lanka will be looking to move closer to the leading pack with a strong home series. Because the top two teams at the end of the World Test Championship league phase will qualify for the final at The Oval in London, scheduled from June 9 to 13, 2027, the stakes are particularly high. The two matches, which will be played in Galle and Colombo, are part of the 2025 to 2027 World Test Championship cycle. India are currently fifth in the standings with 52 points and a points percentage of 48.15, while Sri Lanka occupy sixth place with 20 points and a points percentage of 41.67. The series also marks India’s return to Sri Lanka for a Test assignment since their 2017 tour, when they completed a 3 to 0 series sweep. India had also won their previous series in Sri Lanka in 2015 by a 2 to 1 margin. With India and Sri Lanka separated by only 6.48 percentage points in the current World Test Championship standings, the two Tests could have a significant impact on both teams’ qualification campaigns.
