India tour of Sri Lanka: Tests begin August 15 as Shubman Gill leads side in crucial WTC cycle

India will begin their two-Test tour of Sri Lanka from August 15, with matches scheduled in Galle and Colombo, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced on Thursday.

The first Test will be played at the Galle International Stadium from August 15, followed by the second at the SSC in Colombo from August 23. The series, which runs till August 27, is part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

India, currently fifth in the WTC standings, have reached the final twice but are yet to win the title, while Sri Lanka are placed sixth.


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The tour comes as India continue their new phase under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, following a 2-2 drawn series in England and a home win over the West Indies. However, their recent 0-3 whitewash at home against South Africa has raised concerns over their ability to handle spin-heavy attacks.

The Sri Lanka series is expected to be another stern test for India’s batters, given the conditions and the hosts’ strong spin arsenal.

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India last played a Test series in Sri Lanka in 2017, when they completed a 3-0 sweep. The team will also tour New Zealand for a two-Test series in November–December.