India, Sri Lanka To Play Full First Series In Eight Years

The series will see India and Sri Lanka play three Tests, five ODIs and one T20 from July 26.

India will travel to Sri Lanka and play three Tests, five one-day internationals and one T20 in their first series involving all three formats of the game in eight years, it was announced on Friday. Sri Lanka Cricket said the first Test between the neighbours will start on July 26 at the Galle International Stadium and will be followed by Tests in Colombo and Kandy, respectively, in August. The Sri Lankan board added that the first ODI will begin at the Dambulla International Stadium on August 20 followed by two ODI matches each at Kandy and Colombo. The lone T20 will be played at the Premadasa stadium in Colombo on September 6.

India and Sri Lanka played their only full series against each other - three Tests, five ODIs and two T20 matches - in India in 2009. India won the Test series 2-0, the ODI 3-1 and drew the T20 segment 1-1.

India's last tour of Sri Lanka was two years ago in August 2015 when they played a Test series which they won 2-1. India won its last ODI series 4-1 in 2012. In the same year, India also won a T20 series 1-0 against Sri Lanka.

India just won a five-match ODI series against the West Indies 3-1 and will play a single T20 on Sunday. Sri Lanka are currently playing an ODI series against Zimbabwe at home and are leading the series 2-1. 

Schedule:

July 26: 1st Test at Galle

Aug 3: 2nd Test at Colombo

Aug 12: 3rd Test at Kandy

Aug 20: 1st ODI at Dambulla

Aug 24: 2nd ODI at Kandy

Aug 27: 3rd ODI at Kandy

Aug 31: 4th ODI at Colombo

Sept 3: 5th ODI at Colombo

Sept 6: T20 at Colombo