Sri Lanka announces schedule for India's two-Test series in August

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has officially announced the schedule for India's upcoming two-match Test series, with the matches set to be played in August 2026 as part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.

The first Test will be played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle from August 15 to 19, while the second and final Test will be held at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo from August 23 to 27.

The upcoming series will mark India's first Test tour of Sri Lanka in nearly nine years. The last time the two teams met in a Test series in Sri Lanka was in 2017, when Virat Kohli-led India dominated the hosts with a comprehensive 3-0 series sweep.

The two-Test series will also be India's first assignment in Sri Lanka during the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. Both teams will be eager to secure crucial points early in their WTC 2025-27 campaign.

India, who have reached two World Test Championship finals but are yet to lift the coveted mace, currently occupy the fifth spot in the standings, while Sri Lanka are placed sixth. Following the Sri Lanka tour, India are scheduled to travel to New Zealand later this year for a two-match Test series in November and December.

India head into the series after a promising start to the Shubman Gill era in Test cricket. The visitors registered a hard-fought 2-2 drawn series in England before following it up with a home series victory over the West Indies.

However, concerns still remain over India's performance against quality spin bowling after suffering a shock home whitewash against South Africa last year. The Sri Lankan conditions, traditionally known to favour spinners, are expected to present another demanding challenge for the Indian batting lineup.

With valuable World Test Championship points on offer and two evenly matched sides looking to build momentum, the series promises to play a crucial role in both teams' WTC 2025-27 campaigns.