BCCI announces schedule for India’s first Test series in Sri Lanka after 9 years

It will be India's first tour of Sri Lanka in the red-ball format in nine years.

Updated on: Jul 2, 2026, 17:24:34 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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India's next campaign in the ongoing 2025/27 World Test Championship cycle has been confirmed, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) releasing the complete schedule for the upcoming two-match Test series in Sri Lanka. It will be India's first tour of Sri Lanka in the red-ball format in nine years.

India will face Sri Lanka in two-Test series

The series will get underway on August 15 with the first Test at Galle. The second Test will be held at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo from August 23 to 27. BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had previously discussed the possibility of adding a white-ball fixture to India's tour as well, but the media release from both boards made no mention of those matches.

This will be India's first Test series in the island nation since 2017, two years before the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) officially began. Virat Kohli was then the captain of the Indian Test team, where Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul opened the batting, and Hardik Pandya was still an all-rounder option in red-ball cricket, a format from which he removed himself a year later, owing to a struggle with back injuries.

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Much has changed in Indian cricket since that 2017 series, when India won 3-0. In fact, Kuldeep Yadav and KL Rahul are the only two players from that squad to remain active or in reckoning in the format now.

This will be India's first Test series in the WTC cycle since the infamous 0-2 whitewash at home against South Africa last November. Shubman Gill's side, however, did play a red-ball game after the resumption of international cricket post IPL 2026, having faced Afghanistan in a one-off game in Mullanpur last month, but the match was not part of the WTC cycle.

Overall, India have played three series in this WTC cycle thus far. They drew 2-2 in England last year, then beat the West Indies 2-0 at home in October, before losing to the Proteas. They stand fifth in the table with a PCT of 48.15 after four wins in nine games. Should India script a whitewash in Sri Lanka, a 1-0 win or a 1-1 draw, they will remain at the same position.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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