Two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka to take place in August, see details
A two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka is scheduled to take place in August. The Sri Lanka Cricket Board has designated a window between August 15 and 27 for this series, which forms part of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
According to sources within Sri Lanka Cricket and the BCCI, all relevant stakeholders—including the Indian team—have been apprised of this schedule. This Test series is set to be played following the Lanka Premier League (LPL), the final of which is scheduled for August 9. Meanwhile, there has been no official confirmation yet regarding the proposed three-match T20 series as part of this tour.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia is currently visiting Sri Lanka as part of an ICC delegation. He is there to assess the current situation of Sri Lanka Cricket, which was recently dissolved by the government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Subsequently, the government has constituted an interim body, named the 'Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee.'
Members of Transformation Committee may raise the issue of T20 series
During Saikia's visit to Sri Lanka, members of the Transformation Committee may raise the issue of the T20 series during their meetings with him. These three T20 matches were originally proposed with the objective of raising funds for the victims of Cyclone 'Ditwah,' which struck in November of last year. However, finding a suitable window for this series presents a significant challenge, given that the month of September is already extremely busy for the Indian team.
Proposed Tour of Bangladesh in September
A six-match white-ball series—comprising three ODIs and three T20 Internationals—is currently being planned for the Indian team in Bangladesh for the month of September. If this tour of Bangladesh goes ahead, it could make things quite difficult for the schedule planners. In a recent interaction with the media, Saikia declined to comment on whether the Bangladesh series would take place or not, stating that the focus should currently remain on the fixtures that have already been confirmed.
This tour of Bangladesh is part of a series that was originally scheduled for last year but was postponed due to diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The ice in diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh now appears to be thawing; however, whether or not this series will ultimately take place remains a matter of speculation.
Team India will kick off its international season on June 6
The Indian team will kick off its international season on June 6 with a Test match against Afghanistan in Mullanpur, followed by a three-match ODI series. Subsequently, the Indian team is scheduled to tour Ireland, England, and Zimbabwe before heading to Sri Lanka. Indian captain Shubman Gill has not yet played a single Test match against Sri Lanka.