When did India last tour Sri Lanka for Test series?
(Courtesy : BCCI)
India will play two Test matches against Sri Lanka in August.
India and Sri Lanka will face each other in a two-match Test series next month. The first match will be played at the GICS in Galle on August 15, and the second will begin at the SSC in Colombo on August 23.
Shubman Gill and Co. last played a Test match against a full member nation in November 2025. They would want to erase the memories of that clash against South Africa and start afresh.
This SL vs IND Test series will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle. India are currently ranked 5th on the points table, with Sri Lanka close at 6th. Both teams would be geared up for the intense clash.
While India are now beyond the “transition” phase and have become a fairly settled side, Sri Lanka are known to be highly competitive in their backyard. The two teams last played a Test match against each other in 2022. Meanwhile, their last encounter in Sri Lanka was in 2017.
What happened when the two teams last met in Sri Lanka for a Test series?
In 2017, India were on tour to Sri Lanka for an extensive all-format series, comprising 3 Tests, 5 ODIs and one-off T20I. India emerged unbeaten throughout the tour.
The three Tests were played in Galle, Colombo and Pallekele. India won the contests by massive margins.
- SL vs IND 1st Test – July 26, 2017 (Galle) – India won by 304 runs
- SL vs IND 2nd Test – Aug 3, 2017 (Colombo) – India won by an innings and 53 runs
- SL vs IND 3rd Test – Aug 12, 2017 (Pallekele) – India won by an innings and 171 runs
India had varying Player of the Match (POTM) contenders in the three matches. Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya were awarded the POTM trophy, while Dhawan was eventually the Player of the Series for amassing the most runs in the series (358 runs).
Remarkably, Hardik Pandya made his Test debut in this very series and slammed a half-century in his first outing for India. He even claimed one wicket in that match.
Ravichandran Ashwin wrapped up his series with 17 wickets in the bag, while his spin-bowling partner Ravindra Jadeja claimed 13. Cheteshwar Pujara was another notable performer of the series with 309 runs to his name.
Of the last six Test series between the two countries, India have won five, and one series ended in a draw. Shubman Gill-led side have high-pressure clashes lined up against New Zealand and Australia after their series against Sri Lanka, and hence they would like to put their best foot forward in this series.
When did India last tour Sri Lanka for a Test series?
India last toured Sri Lanka for a Test series in 2017, which the visitors won dominantly 3-0.
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Cricket runs in the blood of Indians — and that’s something she truly believes in. A law student with a lifelong connection to the game, she has followed cricket passionately since his school days. Like countless young fans, she first experienced the sport on the field before deepening his understanding through constant watching, reading, and conversations around the game. Writing became a natural extension of that passion, bringing a “Pavilion Perspective” to his work — capturing how fans experience matches through their own lens.