India vs Sri Lanka 2026 Tests: Shubman Gill’s Team India are set to commence a crucial two-match Test series against Sri Lanka with one eye on the World Test Championships (WTC) 2025-27 Points Table.
A 2-0 series loss at home to South Africa have somewhat derailed the Indian campaign early and they have the onerous task of winning seven out of their last nine Tests in this cycle if they home to qualify for the WTC final next year.
The task to win the series with 2-0 against Sri Lanka is definitely not going to be an easy one as Indians commence preparation for the first Test beginning at Galle on Saturday. Former India spinner Murali Kartik believes that series against Sri Lanka will be critical to Indian fortunes, keeping the WTC in mind.
“This series is critical with the view of the WTC if we are serious about Test cricket. Our fortunes haven’t been that great in red-ball cricket which is well-documented and everyone knows it,” Murali Kartik told a select group on media on Wednesday.
The Test series against Sri Lanka will also be a trial against spin for the Indian team and test for the visiting spin bowlers. The Indian spin bowling attack is expected to feature experienced Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav along side newcomer Manav Suthar, who made his debut against Afghanistan in the one-off Test earlier this year.
“The series will be test for the spinners as well. Jadeja as good as he has been for Indian cricket is in his twilight years. Manav Suthar with the way he made his debut against Afghanistan was very heartwarming for any old-school spinner. Kuldeep Yadav has been a match-winner for India but unfortunately for him he hasn’t been handled the same way he was done under captaincy of Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli,” Kartik said.
Jadeja is 37 years of age now and has turned out in 89 Tests for India claiming 348 wickets at an average of 25.11 and scoring 4095 runs with the bat. Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav, on the other hand, has only played in 18 Tests since his Test debut nine years back and claimed 79 wickets at an excellent average of 22.35.
‘Dhruv Jurel should play ahead of Sarfaraz Khan’
The other major debate in the Indian playing 11 could be the No. 6 position. With Sai Sudharsan ruled out of the series with injury, Sarfaraz Khan has been drafted into the squad.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Devdutt Padikkal appears to have secured the no. 3 position of Sudharsan for the Sri Lanka series with his brilliant 142 in the practice game in Colombo last week. Sarfaraz will need to battle with Dhruv Jurel for the No. 6 position in the batting line-up but Kartik believes the Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper will have the edge.
“I would pick Jurel in the Test line-up ahead of Sarfaraz Khan for now. Jurel is a handy Test batter and he’s done whatever the team management has asked him to do. The key for India team going forward in this WTC cycle is to show consistency in the way we play and how we pick the sides. It’s important for players to feel secure about their place in the playing 11,” Kartik added.
Asked about the pressure on Indian skipper Shubman Gill, Kartik said, “I think ‘heavy is the head which wears the crown’, especially in Indian cricket. Gill is going to be questioned no matter what he does or is going to do. There’s a lot of pressure on him, and there’s a lot of pressure on this series as well, because it’s crucial for India’s chances in the WTC.”