IND vs SL: India Waste No Time as Preparation Begins in Colombo

Vaibhav Tripathi, Colombo

Nine years is a long time in Test cricket, and nowhere is that more evident than in India’s return to Sri Lanka. The last time they toured the island for a Test series, in 2017, Virat Kohli was at the height of his powers, leading a side that had made winning a habit. Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay walked out to open the innings, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant were still waiting for their Test debuts, and India sat comfortably at the summit of the ICC Test rankings.

The landscape looks vastly different in 2026. Much of that touring party has either retired or faded from the national set-up, while the aura that once surrounded India’s red-ball dominance has given way to searching questions. With a place in the WTC final hanging in the balance, this is not merely another overseas assignment. It is a defining series for a team attempting to rediscover its identity in the longest format.

As for Sri Lanka, they were struggling then, and little has changed. While Team India have been in transition over the past year, Sri Lanka’s transition phase appears far from over.

Most of the current Indian squad, including the captain, will be playing Test cricket in Sri Lanka for the first time. India have struggled badly in overseas conditions in both red-ball and white-ball cricket, with their adaptability coming under scrutiny on several occasions in the recent past. Keeping that in mind, the visitors have arrived in Sri Lanka early to acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the series, which begins on August 15.

The Indian team understands what is at stake, and that is why there is a sense of urgency. Less than 24 hours after landing in Colombo on Tuesday afternoon, the visitors will hit the nets.

The first training session will be held from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm local time at the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC). Interestingly, India have never trained there before. The same venue will also host their three-day practice match, which begins on August 7. As confirmed by RevSportz earlier, the fixture will be against the Sri Lanka Board President’s XI.

Three practice wickets and four indoor nets have been made available for the Indian team to fine-tune their preparations. However, concerns remain over the weather in Sri Lanka’s capital. The forecast is not encouraging. If it rains, the drainage system at the NCC is not particularly efficient. Even half an hour of rain could be enough to wash out the entire practice session. In that case, India will likely to opt for indoor training.

For the three-day practice match, the pitch is expected to be on the flatter side, as has been the case at the NCC for many years. If that proves to be the case, it will not be ideal preparation for India ahead of the first Test. Rain is also expected to be a factor throughout the match, with the forecast predicting a greater than 50 per cent chance of precipitation on all three days.

Once the practice match is over, team India are likely to travel to Galle on August 10.

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