India’s Test squad for Sri Lanka tour to be announced by Tuesday
India’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour will be announced by Tuesday. The BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, will assess player fitness for the up
Pace attack to dominate selection meet before India name squad for Sri Lanka Tests
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce India‘s Test squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka by Tuesday. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the timeline for the selection, with the Ajit Agarkar-led senior men’s selection committee evaluating player fitness ahead of the two ICC World Test Championship (WTC) matches.
A primary focus for the selectors will be the fitness of fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Washington Sundar. Bumrah missed the third One Day International (ODI) against England at Lord’s due to an impact injury and reactive swelling on his left knee. Sundar is recovering from a right hamstring strain, which also ruled him out of the match at Lord’s.
Squad Selection Considerations
Jasprit Bumrah‘s recovery process is being closely monitored. While the Test series is still some weeks away, allowing time for recovery, it remains uncertain if he will travel with the squad in early August. The team is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka by August 4 and will play a four-day match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) in Colombo to help them acclimatise to the local conditions.
Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is anticipated to return to the Shubman Gill-led side. His all-round capabilities are expected to be valuable against Sri Lanka. Jadeja had previously played an ODI against New Zealand in January but was not selected for the recent three-match ODI series against England, which India lost 1-2. He was also rested from a one-off game against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh.
The pace attack is expected to feature Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna. In the spin department, seasoned bowler Kuldeep Yadav is slated to lead, supported by left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who recently made an impressive debut against Afghanistan.
Washington Sundar is also a potential third spinner, having secured a four-wicket haul in the second innings against Afghanistan at Mullanpur. Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey is expected to serve as a back-up slow bowler for the squad.
Upcoming Tour Schedule and Review Meeting
The Test series against Sri Lanka is part of India‘s ICC World Test Championship commitments. The first Test match is scheduled to take place at the Galle International Cricket Stadium (GICS) from August 15 to 19. The second and final Test will be held at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo from August 23 to 27. This tour marks India‘s first Test series in Sri Lanka since 2017.
In addition to the squad announcement, the BCCI is planning a review meeting to discuss the national team’s recent white-ball performances. This meeting is expected to occur in early August, following the conclusion of the ongoing T20I series against Zimbabwe. Top BCCI officials, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir, T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, Centre of Excellence (COE) head of cricket VVS Laxman, and the five-member selection panel, are expected to attend the meeting at the headquarters in Mumbai.
The review will address tactical planning, execution of game plans in overseas conditions, and the broader roadmap for the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup. This follows recent T20I series defeats in Ireland (2-0) and England (4-0), as well as the 2-1 ODI series loss to England. The Indian team will land in Colombo on August 4 for the tour.
Source: m.rediff.com
Rohan Gupta
Sports Reporter
