Team India and Team Sri Lanka don arrive at Galle International Stadium for the opening Test of the two-match series. Both teams reach the venue on Saturday as dem prepare for the first Test, wey go mark the beginning of the series.
This one na big match for India, because dem go become the first Asian team, and only the third side after England and Australia, to play 600 Tests. The match go start on August 15, wey be India Independence Day.
Shubman Gill, wey take over as India Test captain last year, talk with media on the eve of the match. E say the opportunity to lead India for such a significant match make the occasion even more special. “E be very big honour and privilege. Any Test match wey you captain for your country na huge deal. Obviously, leading my country for our 600th Test match na big honour and privilege for me, and doing that on Independence Day na even more special for us,” Gill talk for the pre-match press conference.
India dey currently fifth for World Test Championship 2025-27 standings, with four wins, four defeats and one draw from nine matches. Gill acknowledge the importance of the Sri Lanka series for India bid to reach the final. The second Test of the series also significant for Sri Lanka, wey dey sixth for WTC standings.
“Obviously, the main goal na to play for World Test Championship final, wey go happen next year. We don play about nine Tests for this cycle, and I think we need to win around six or seven more to get good chance of qualifying. So, this na very important series for us, and we don get the right kind of preparation leading up to am,” e say.
India Test Squad include Shubman Gill as captain, KL Rahul as vice-captain, plus Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi, and Sarfaraz Khan. Sri Lanka Test Squad get Dhananjaya De Silva as captain, plus Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Keshara Nuwantha, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, and Dilshan Madushanka.
For the squad, Auqib Nabi and Sarfaraz Khan replace the injured duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan. The hosts name 16-member squad for the first Test, with Dhananjaya de Silva still dey lead the side. India last suffer 2-0 series defeat against South Africa, but dem fit depend on players like Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav for tough conditions. Sri Lanka lose their previous two-match Test series 1-0 to West Indies for June/July 2026, after dem lose the first Test by innings and 217 runs, then draw the rain-affected second Test.
The series go start on August 15 at Galle International Stadium, and second Test go follow for Colombo from August 23. Spin-friendly conditions for Sri Lanka fit play important role.
