India’s Test squad for Sri Lanka tour to be announced by Tuesday

By Ananya Rao — 26 July 2026 — 3 min read

Squad Selection Nears 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 this timeline, noting that selectors are currently evaluating fitness updates for key players, including fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Washington Sundar.

The tour will feature two ICC World Test Championship (WTC) matches. The first Test is scheduled to take place at the Galle International Cricket Stadium (GICS) from August 15 to 19. Following this, the second and final Test will be held at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo from August 23 to 27.

The Shubman Gill-led squad is expected to arrive in Colombo on August 4. They are also slated to play a four-day warm-up match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) in Colombo from August 7 to 10, which will help the team acclimatise to the local conditions before the Test series begins.

Key Player Fitness Under Scrutiny

A primary concern for the selectors is the fitness of Jasprit Bumrah. The pace leader missed 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, sustained during the second game in Cardiff.

Sources close to the development indicate that Bumrah‘s recovery process is being closely monitored. With the Test series still several weeks away, there is hope he will have sufficient time to recover and 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 for the warm-up fixture.

Another player whose fitness is being assessed is off-spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar. He 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 Options

Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is anticipated to make a return to the Indian Test side. Jadeja, who last played an ODI against New Zealand in January, was rested from a one-off game against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh and was not selected for the recent ODI series in England. His all-round skills are expected to be valuable against Sri Lanka.

The pace attack is likely to feature Bumrah, alongside Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. In the spin department, seasoned bowler Kuldeep Yadav is expected to lead, supported by left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who recently had 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, providing additional depth to the spin options for the squad.

Review Meeting for Recent Performances

In related 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 early next month, in August, after the conclusion of the ongoing T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Top BCCI officials, including head coach Gautam Gambhir, T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, Centre of Excellence (COE) head of cricket VVS Laxman, and the five-member selection panel, are understood to be meeting at the headquarters in Mumbai. The discussions will aim to address long-term tactical planning, execution of game plans in overseas conditions, and the broader roadmap leading into the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup, following T20I series defeats in Ireland (2-0) and England (4-0), and an ODI series loss of 2-1.

Source: m.rediff.com