A journey to Sri Lanka, often a highpoint in a global tourist’s life, now beckons the Indian Test squad. In an island known as Serendip in the distant past, and one that birthed the word serendipity, Shubman Gill’s men are searching for their share of happy accidents that would land them success in the white shade.
Stretching from August 15-27 in a tour that is short but bound to have a long-standing impact, the two Tests in Galle and Colombo would reveal the progress that India has made while coping with transition. After a slew of retirements, India’s batting core has moved on from Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
The bowling will miss ace spinner R. Ashwin while Jasprit Bumrah’s injury means Mohammed Siraj and company will have to step up on the slow, turgid pitches available in Sri Lanka. That the selectors have moved beyond Mohammed Shami reflects the winds of change coursing through India’s bowling flank.
In the last four series against the men from the Emerald Isle, India held sway, with the most domineering effort being the 3-0 triumph during the 2017 tour. Yet that chequered past may not have a huge bearing as Gill’s troops walk in with their home fortress having been breached twice in the last two years, first by New Zealand and later by South Africa.
Much would rest on Gill, coping with a niggle, and K.L. Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal to keep the batting fires burning. In an era where quelling pace has been seen as a badge of macho honour, the subtle art of countering spin, offering both an obdurate and aggressive bat while revealing nimble footwork, has been on the wane.
Most Indian batters are caught up with international fixtures and the IPL. There is hardly any time to play domestic cricket and finesse their approach against spin. It was a past luxury that men like V.V.S. Laxman enjoyed as he batted against Venkatapathy Raju and Kanwaljit Singh in the Hyderabad nets.
Siraj and Prasidh Krishna are expected to soften up the Sri Lankan top order, and Kuldeep Yadav and fellow spinners need to be sharp and wily. Veteran Ravindra Jadeja remains a link with the previous tour, having scalped 13 wickets in 2017. Kuldeep had played a lone Test on that visit.
Like New Zealand, Sri Lanka is easy on the eye as a country. And in cricket, like the Black Caps, the teardrop island’s players combine well and often punch above their weight. Kapil Dev’s strong unit learnt it the hard way during the 1985 tour, and in many subsequent tours, Sri Lanka has proved to be a formidable unit in its backyard.
That halo may be on the wane but, for an Indian unit searching for consistency in Tests under coach Gautam Gambhir, the leap across the Indian Ocean may not be easy. India and Sri Lanka are placed fifth and sixth in the ICC Test Championship rankings, an obvious dip for both sides in an era increasingly dominated by the glitz and thrills of limited-overs cricket.
Over the last five years, Pakistan and Australia have shown that Sri Lanka can be humbled at home. However, with Gary Kirsten turning up as coach, Sri Lanka has a mentor well aware of India’s strengths and foibles. The South African, a former India coach, has his admirers in the Indian cricketing establishment but they are wary about his acquired knowledge over the years.
Sri Lanka bats deep and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva would hope that his willow-wielders can stand firm against the visitors. Men like Dinesh Chandimal have to replicate the past exploits of Arjuna Ranatunga, Roy Dias, Aravinda de Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.
With just the narrow Palk Strait splitting India and Sri Lanka, the neighbouring country presents this same-same-but-different vibe. Gill’s men have to cope with this paradox in a tropical paradise that, in the past, offered a break to cricketers taking the ship between England and Australia.
Gill also gets a chance to infuse his spirit into the team after the looming shadows cast by Kohli and Rohit have vanished. Countering the guiles of left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya would be a key battle, be it at the sea-kissed Galle or in the bustling urban sprawl that Colombo represents.
Elsewhere, reputations are often burnished in the heat and dust of Tests, and for pacers like Auqib Nabi and Gurnoor Brar, the tour presents an opportunity to reiterate their skills. The same is true for spinner Manav Suthar and all-rounder Saransh Jain. A key element that can influence India’s fortunes will be the form of Rishabh Pant. The maverick keeper-batter needs to rediscover his mojo.
A tough season awaits India as Australia will soon be among the visiting teams. A winning yield in Sri Lanka will bolster the squad and help Gill carry his unit towards more laurels. Conflating results between the blue and white shades has often left a mixed bag, and India, the strong Test squad, has to resurface again.
It would be prudent to remember that Sri Lanka has often ambushed India in the past, and across formats. Gambhir and Gill will still lean on their recency bias and believe that this is a series India should rightfully claim. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will search for mystery spinners and deft batters to derail its opponent.
A crucial August will highlight whether India’s Test cogs are in sync, even as Sri Lanka invests in spinners humming a lullaby before going for the jugular. In a land where writers like Shehan Karunatilaka and Ashok Ferrey chart magical stories, Gill’s men want to add their surreal touch.
Published on Aug 13, 2026
