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India return to Sri Lanka after 8 years… first Test tour since Virat Kohli’s historic 3-0 sweep
The two-match Test series in August will mark India’s opening challenge in Sri Lanka for the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, with Shubman Gill leading the side.
India national cricket team are set to return to Sri Lanka for a Test series after nearly eight years, with Sri Lanka Cricket officially announcing the schedule for the much-anticipated two-match contest.
The series, part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle, will begin on August 15 at the iconic Galle International Stadium, with the first Test running until August 19.
The second Test will be played at the historic Sinhalese Sports Club Ground from August 23 to 27.
This will be India’s first Test tour of Sri Lanka since 2017, when Virat Kohli led the side to a dominant 3-0 clean sweep, one of India’s most memorable overseas red-ball performances.
This time, however, the stakes are different.
The upcoming series will mark India’s first assignment in Sri Lanka in the current World Test Championship cycle and could prove crucial in shaping the early standings.
India, despite reaching two WTC finals, are still chasing their maiden title and currently sit fifth in the 2025-27 standings.
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Meanwhile, Sri Lanka national cricket team are placed sixth, making this an important battle for both teams.
India enter the series under the leadership of Shubman Gill, who has had a mixed but promising start as Test captain.
The Gill era began with an impressive 2-2 draw in England, followed by a home series victory against the West Indies cricket team.
However, India’s shocking home whitewash against South Africa national cricket team last year exposed a major weakness — their struggle against quality spin bowling.
That vulnerability will now be tested again on Sri Lanka’s spin-friendly surfaces.
With stars like Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and a batting unit still searching for consistency in subcontinent challenges, the tour promises to be far from straightforward.
After Sri Lanka, India’s Test calendar remains packed, with another away challenge awaiting in New Zealand later this year for a two-match series in November-December.
For now though, all eyes are on Sri Lanka — where India will look to start strong, and perhaps recreate the dominance of the Kohli era.
