Starting August 15, Sri Lanka will be hosting India for a two-match Test series, to be played in Galle and Colombo. This upcoming IND vs SL rubber is important for both teams with regard to their ICC WTC standings: India are 5th and Sri Lanka just below them in the table.
The visitors are currently a depleted unit with additional injuries suffered on the tour hitherto. India have come to Sri Lanka without Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, and Sai Sudharsan, who is the latest player to be ruled out.
Earlier this week during practice, captain Shubman Gill suffered a finger injury and missed the warm-up match.
The absence of these important cricketers in the Indian camp would give Sri Lanka a huge boost as they aim to record their first Test series victory over India in 18 years.
IND vs SL: When did Sri Lanka beat India in a Test series?
The last time Sri Lanka won a Test series against India was in 2008, beating India 2-1 at home, riding on Ajantha Mendis’ famous series in which he picked up 26 wickets.
Since then, however, Sri Lanka have failed to register a series victory against India in six consecutive series, losing five of them and drawing one. This streak included three series at home, of which the Lankans have lost the last two.
IND vs SL: What Happened Last Time India Played A Test Series In Sri Lanka?
The last time India played a Test series in Sri Lanka was in 2017, and Virat Kohli’s Indian team whitewashed Sri Lanka by 3-0, producing some of the most dominating Test match victories India have ever done against their island neighbors.
The two teams were at contrasting periods of their respective eras. Virat Kohli’s side was emerging into a world-beating unit in 2017, with Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, and Mohammed Shami producing defining contributions, and the skipper led from the front with both the bat and in the field.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka were in a transition period following the retirements of some of their legends. Dinesh Chandimal’s contingent looked a shadow of the Lankan team of bygone eras, with no player other than Rangana Herath being an established international player.
The three Tests were played in Galle, Colombo (SSC), and Pallekele, and India recorded heavily one-sided victories: by 304 runs, an innings and 53 runs, and an innings and 171 runs.
Who was the Man of the Series during the India vs Sri Lanka Test series in 2017?
Shikhar Dhawan bagged the Player of the Series award in India’s 3-0 whitewash over Sri Lanka in the Test series on the 2017 tour. The left-handed Indian opener piled up 358 runs in four innings, as he plundered two centuries, including a highest score of 190.
Pujara also notched up two hundreds, while Rahane, Hardik, and Kohli cracked one century each.
Ashwin ended up as the leading wicket-taker of the IND vs SL 2017 Test series with 17 scalps, followed by Jadeja (13) and Shami (10).
The Man of the Match in the three Tests were Dhawan, Jadeja, and Hardik.
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