Sri Lanka to tour India later this year

According to reports, Sri Lanka will travel to India to play a complete tour involving series in all three formats of the game, the first time since 2009. India’s last tour of Sri Lanka was two years ago in August 2015 when they played a Test series and won it 2-1 and are set to visit the island later this month. The news was confirmed by the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) yesterday. The series will comprise of three Tests, three one-day internationals, and two T20Is. Though the tour schedule is yet to be finalised, it is speculated to be organised after Sri Lanka’s tour of UAE to play Pakistan starting from October 17.

The subcontinent team was supposed to tour South Africa for a full series in December/January but Cricket South Africa (CSA) cancelled the tour. Instead, they invited India for a full series to fill the void. Sri Lanka, on the other hand last toured India in November/December 2009. They lost the Test series 2-0, ODI series 3-1 but drew the two-match T20 series 1-1.

According to Mumbaimirror, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has lined up Sri Lanka and New Zealand for November and December. Board Secretary Mohan de Silva was also quoted as saying, “We are yet to confirm the scheduled but the tour is confirmed.”

India will travel to Sri Lanka

The Men in Blue are currently preparing for an away trial against Sri Lanka. They will play three Tests, five one-day internationals and one T20I with the first Test scheduled to start on July 26 at the Galle International Stadium. The first ODI will begin at the Dambulla International Stadium on August 20 followed by two ODI matches each at Kandy and Colombo.

Opener Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya also got a call up from the selectors to feature in the Test squad for the upcoming tour, while retaining Abhinav Mukund as the reserve opener. Kuldeep Yadav preserves his place as the third spinner with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.