India is likely to begin their Sri Lanka Test tour in Galle on August 15. The opening Test match will be played at Galle International Stadium from August 15 to 19, Cricbuzz reported on Wednesday. 

The second Test between the two sides will begin on August 23 and the venue will most likely be Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in central Colombo. But the official venues and dates are yet to be confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Sri Lanka Cricket.

The two-Test series will mark India’s first Test tour of Sri Lanka in nine years, since 2017, when India, under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, had clean-swept the Islanders.

In addition to the two Tests, India could also play three T20Is against the hosts. 

“There is a request for three matches and we will finalise the schedule soon,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had earlier told the media.

The Lanka Premier League (LPL) is scheduled to conclude on August 9 and thus the Test matches are expected to be scheduled before the T20I series. 

India recently played a one–off Test match against Afghanistan at New Chandigarh. Shubman Gill’s team won by an innings and 300 runs but that Test match was not part of the World Test Championship cycle. India is currently in sixth place in the WTC cycle with four wins, as many losses and one draw.

However, the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka will be part of the WTC cycle and India will aim to bag all 24 points on offer.