India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test, All You Need To Know: The first Test at Galle carries plenty of significance for both teams. It will be India’s historic 600th Test match, while Galle will host its 50th Test, the most by any Asian venue. India will also be looking to reset its Test campaign after recent wobbles and strengthen its position in the WTC standings.
Shubman Gill will lead India in his first Test series in Sri Lanka as permanent captain following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. India currently sits fifth in the WTC table and Gill has outlined a demanding target for the remainder of the campaign, with India having nine Tests to play and needing six or seven wins to put itself in a strong position.
India, however, will be without premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, while Sai Sudharsan is also unavailable due to injury. The absence of Bumrah could give Sri Lanka additional confidence, particularly on a surface expected to assist spin as the Test progresses.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will be hoping to build on home advantage despite coming off a series defeat in the West Indies. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis are unavailable through injury, leading to changes at the top of the order and behind the stumps. Lahiru Udara is expected to open the innings while Niroshan Dickwella is set to make his first Test appearance since March 2023.
The Galle pitch will likely be a good one to bat on for the first couple of days before it starts to turn as the game progresses. Crosswinds at the venue close to the sea could also be a factor with the two captains emphasizing the significance of wind while facing spin.
India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Match Details
Tournament: India Tour of Sri Lanka 2026
Match: Sri Lanka vs India, 1st Test
Date: Saturday, August 15 to Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM IST
Venue: Galle International Cricket Stadium, Galle
WTC: ICC World Test Championship 2025–2027
India vs Sri Lanka Test Head-to-Head Record
Total Tests Played: 46
India Won: 22
Sri Lanka Won: 7
Drawn: 17
Probable Playing XIs
Sri Lanka (Probable XI): Nishan Madushka, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (Captain), Niroshan Dickwella (WK), Sonal Dinusha, Keshara Nuwantha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando.
India (Probable XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill (Captain), Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna/Gurnoor Brar.
India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test: Where To Watch Live?
India
TV Broadcast: Sony Sports Ten 5 / Sony Sports Ten 5 HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 / Sony Sports Ten 3 HD, Sony Sports Ten 4 / Sony Sports Ten 4 HD
Free TV Option: DD Sports for DD Free Dish viewers
Live Streaming: As provided for the series, the India vs Sri Lanka Tests are available through the designated Sony Liv digital coverage.
USA
TV Broadcast and Live Streaming: Willow TV
India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Squads
India Test Squad
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill (Captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Auqib Nabi, Dhruv Jurel, Gurnoor Brar, Saransh Jain.
Sri Lanka Test Squad (1st Test)
Nishan Madushka, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (Captain), Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Niroshan Dickwella (WK), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Sonal Dinusha, Milan Priyanath Rathnayake, Keshara Nuwantha.
