India tour of Sri Lanka 2026 | First Test | Preview and Predictions

Team India resumed their goal of making the World Test Championship final once again after stumbling at the end of last year at home. The Men in Blue picked up an important series win at home against Afghanistan and now will look to continue that winning run against hosts Sri Lanka. 

Ahead of the first Test between Sri Lanka and India, here’s our match preview and predictions.

India tour of Sri Lanka 2026 | SL vs IND | 1st Test | 10:00 IST, August 15-19, 2026

Shubman Gill will be leading the Indian team and while Gill has been in sublime form with the bat, his injury proneness is an issue for the Indian camp. At the top of the order, India will continue with the tried and tested pair of the experienced KL Rahul and the youth of Yashasvi Jaiswal. India’s no. 3 in Said Sudharasan was ruled out just before the series but Devdutt Paddikal’s form in the warm-up game  will be a big boost for the Indian camp given the inexperience in the middle order. The middle order is India’s biggest worry with Rishabh Pant going through lean patch and the team not having a secured no.5, India will have to play Dhruv Jurel at no.5 and two wicket-keepers in the XI. 

Ravindra Jadeja is key lower down the order and he brings stability to the team. The team has a couple of inexperienced spinners in Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain, one of whom is likely to start and more importantly both are handy with the bat as well. Kuldeep Yadav is primed to be the second spinner with Jadeja while Mohammed Siraj will lead the bowling attack with one of Gurnoor Brar or Prasidh Krishna. Brar impressed in his debut series against Afghanistan at home and will have an advantage over Krishna thanks to his X-factor.

The hosts meanwhile, announced their squad just a couple of days before the series starts with Dhananjaya de Silva leading the squad. Sri Lanka are without Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendia at the top due to injuries but see veteran Niroshan Dickwella return to the national squad after a gap of three years. Nishan Fernando is expected to open and while there is not a lot of experience at the top of the order, the likes of Dinesh Chandimal and Kamindu Menis will be key for the hosts also with their skipper in the middle order with the bat. 

Asitha Fernando will lead the bowling along with two from the likes of Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando and Dilshan Madhushanka. The hosts have gone with three spinners with Prabath Jayasuriya being the main spinner while they will go in with either Sonal Dinusha or Milan Rathanayaka. 

A spin friendly track which will provide a lot of runs, the hosts might have the home advantage, the experience and the quality of the visitors sets them aside and we have Shubman Gill and his boys as the favourites given their stronger bowling attack. 

Fantasy XI: KL Rahul (c), Nishan Fernando (wk) , Shubman Gill, Dinesh Chandimal, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Kuldeep Yadav, Asitha Fernando, Gurnoor Brar, Prabath Jayasuriya

Venue: Galle International Stadium, Galle

Winners Prediction: India