The Sri Lanka-India Test series is set to take place in the latter half of August. While the exact schedule for the two-match series is yet to be officially confirmed, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has earmarked a two-week window for the fixtures, which form part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
According to sources within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Tests are expected to be held between August 15 and 27. However, there is still no clarity regarding the three T20 Internationals that were initially planned as part of the tour.
The Test series will commence shortly after the conclusion of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), which ends on August 9. Details of the proposed schedule window have already been communicated to all stakeholders involved, including the Indian team management.
Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is currently in Sri Lanka as part of an International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation reviewing developments within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), which was recently dissolved by the government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The Sri Lankan government has since installed an interim administrative body named the Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee. There is a chance that members of the Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee could discuss the proposed limited-overs series with Devajit Saikia during his visit.
However, finding a suitable window for the three matches — initially planned as a fundraising initiative for victims of Cyclone Ditwah last November — may prove difficult, especially with India’s packed schedule in September.
India’s Bangladesh Tour May Complicate Scheduling
India are also expected to tour Bangladesh for a six-match white-ball series consisting of three ODIs and three T20 Internationals during September. If the Bangladesh tour proceeds as planned, it could further complicate scheduling discussions.
Saikia declined to confirm whether the tour would take place, stating in a recent media interaction that the focus remains on India’s immediate commitments. The Bangladesh series is essentially a rescheduled assignment from last year, which had been postponed due to strained relations between the two nations.
Although diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh now appear to be improving, there is still uncertainty over whether the tour will ultimately go ahead. Should the Bangladesh tour happen, India will then host the West Indies cricket team for a home series.
That series could overlap with the Nagoya Asian Games, while India are also scheduled to play three T20Is against Afghanistan national cricket team in the UAE later in September. India’s international season resumes on June 6 with a Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur, followed by a three-match ODI series.
The team will then travel to Ireland, England and Zimbabwe before heading to Sri Lanka for the proposed tour.
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