India and Sri Lanka will begin their two match Test series at the Galle International Stadium on August 15, with both teams looking for crucial WTC 2025-27 points.
India are fifth with a 48.15 points percentage, while Sri Lanka are sixth with 41.67.
India also have the better head to head record, winning 22 of 46 Tests against Sri Lanka. Despite, Sri Lanka have not beaten India in a Test at home for 18 years.
India will be without Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar for the first Test. Mohammed Siraj is expected to lead the pace attack, while Prasidh Krishna, Auqib Nabi and Gurnoor Brar are in contention.
Sarfaraz Khan has also joined the squad after Sai Sudharsan’s injury. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul are expected to open, while the No. 3 spot could see a battle between Devdutt Padikkal and Sarfaraz. Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel add options in the middle order.
Galle pitch generally starts well for batting, with good bounce in the opening days.
But from Day 3, the surface can deteriorate, bringing more turn, cracks and variable bounce.
That could make Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar crucial for India. Sri Lanka will rely heavily on Prabath Jayasuriya, who has taken 85 Test wickets at Galle.
The venue has hosted 49 Tests, with teams batting first winning 26 times. The expected first innings score is around 370-380.
Fans in India can watch the match live on Sony Sports Network, while streaming will be available on SonyLIV. Play begins at 10:00 AM IST each day.
