India’s Sri Lanka Test tour set to begin in Galle on August 15

India's Sri Lanka Test tour set to begin in Galle on August 15

India are likely to begin their Test series in Sri Lanka in Galle later this year. Shubman Gill's side is slated to play two Tests, with the Galle International Stadium expected to host the opener from August 15 to 19. The two Tests will be part of the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

The venue for the second Test has not yet been confirmed, but it is most likely to be given to the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in central Colombo. That match is scheduled to start on August 23. The two-Test series will mark India's first Test tour of Sri Lanka in nine years, since 2017, when India, under Virat Kohli, had whitewashed the islanders.

While neither Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the itinerary, Cricbuzz understands that the start dates of the two Tests are broadly accurate, with Galle set to host the series opener.

In addition to the two Tests, India could also play three T20Is. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia recently alluded to this possibility. "There is a request for three matches and we will finalise the schedule soon," Saikia told the media.

With the Lanka Premier League (LPL) scheduled to conclude on August 9, fitting in the T20Is after the Test series appears more feasible than staging them beforehand. SLC is understood to be working through the finer details of the tour, including the potential addition of the three-match T20I leg.