India’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour will be announced by Tuesday. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the timeline, with selectors evaluating key play
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 this timeline, noting that selectors are currently evaluating fitness updates for key players, including Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar.
The Shubman Gill-led squad is scheduled to participate in two Test matches in Sri Lanka, which are part of their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) commitments. The first Test is slated to begin on August 15 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium (GICS), concluding on August 19. Following this, the second and final Test will take place at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo from August 23 to August 27.
Player Fitness Concerns
A primary concern for the selection committee revolves around the fitness of pace leader Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah was sidelined from the recent series-deciding third One Day International (ODI) against England at Lord’s. His absence was due to an impact injury and reactive swelling on his left knee, which he sustained during the second game in Cardiff.
Sources close to the developments indicate that Bumrah‘s recovery process is being monitored closely. The Test series is approximately three weeks away, providing him with time to recover and potentially join the team in Sri Lanka. However, it remains uncertain whether he will be able to travel with the squad in the first week of August.
The Indian team is scheduled to arrive in Colombo on August 4 and will play a four-day warm-up match from August 7 to August 10 at the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) in Colombo. This match is intended to help the squad acclimatise to the local conditions ahead of the Test series.
Another player whose fitness is under review is off-spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar. Sundar is currently recovering from a right hamstring strain, which also ruled him out of the match at Lord’s. It is not yet known if he will be fit in time for the series, which marks India‘s first Test tour to Sri Lanka since 2017.
Anticipated Returns and Bowling Line-up
Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is expected to make his return to the Indian Test side. Jadeja was previously overlooked for the recent three-match ODI series against England, which India lost 1-2. He also played an ODI against New Zealand in January and was rested from the one-off game against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh.
Jadeja‘s all-round skills are anticipated to be valuable against Sri Lanka. The pace bowling duties are expected to be shared among Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna. In the spin department, seasoned bowler Kuldeep Yadav is likely to lead, supported by left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who recently made an impressive debut against Afghanistan.
Washington Sundar could potentially be the third spinner, having secured a four-wicket haul in the second innings against the Afghans at Mullanpur. Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey is also expected to continue as a back-up slow bowler for the squad.
Upcoming Review Meeting
In other news, the BCCI is planning a review meeting to discuss the national team’s recent white-ball performances. This meeting is expected to take place in early August, after the conclusion of the ongoing T20I series against Zimbabwe. Devajit Saikia confirmed that the review meeting will occur sometime in the beginning of August.
Top BCCI officials are expected to meet at the headquarters in Mumbai. Attendees may include head coach Gautam Gambhir, T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, Centre of Excellence (COE) head of cricket VVS Laxman, and the five-member selection panel. This meeting follows India‘s recent T20I series defeats in Ireland (2-0) and England (4-0), as well as the 2-1 ODI series loss.
While no immediate changes are anticipated, the meeting is understood to focus on long-term tactical planning, the execution of game plans in overseas conditions, and the broader roadmap leading into the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup. The squad announcement for the Sri Lanka Test series is expected by Tuesday.
Source: m.rediff.com
