The Sri Lanka-India Test series is about to happen within the latter half of August. While the precise 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 a part of the continued ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
Based on sources inside 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. Nevertheless, there remains to be no clarity regarding the three T20 Internationals that were initially planned as a part of the tour.
The Test series will start 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 a part of an International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation reviewing developments inside Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), which was recently dissolved by the federal 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 may be a probability that members of the Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee could discuss the proposed limited-overs series with Devajit Saikia during his visit.
Nevertheless, finding an appropriate 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 verify whether the tour would happen, stating in a recent media interaction that the main target stays on India’s immediate commitments. The Bangladesh series is basically a rescheduled task from last yr, which had been postponed as a result of strained relations between the 2 nations.
Although diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh now seem like improving, there remains to be uncertainty over whether the tour will ultimately go ahead. Should the Bangladesh tour occur, India will then host the West Indies cricket team for a house series.
That series could overlap with the Nagoya Asian Games, while India are also scheduled to play three T20Is against Afghanistan national cricket team within 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.
Get the most recent cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.