With a busy international calendar set to commence days after the Indian Premier League concludes on May 31, India are already looking ahead for four important Tests series that line-up this year. With an important two-match Test series scheduled in Sri Lanka in August, India have slotted two India A fixtures in June and July and will also play a practice fixture in the island before the series commences. The Indian Express understands that the selectors are exploring the possibility of sending three-four Test specialists with the A team for at least one of the A team fixtures. Having played nine Test matches in the current World Test Championship cycle, India are in the fifth spot and face the danger of not qualifying for the final for the second consecutive edition. For India to stand a chance to remain in the hunt for the final showdown in England next year, they need to win at least three of the four Tests in Sri Lanka and New Zealand before they host their final series in the cycle against Australia in January-February next year. The Test team led by Shubman Gill, which is undergoing transition, showed signs of revival in England where they drew the five-match Test series 2-2. They followed it with a win over the West Indies at home before South Africa handed them a 0-2 defeat in Kolkata and Guwahati with the performance of the batsmen against the spinners coming under sharp scrutiny. Camp, practice match With the conditions in Sri Lanka being spinner friendly, it is understood that the BCCI requested for two multi-day fixtures as part of the A tour and they wanted it to be played in Galle, where at least one of the Test matches is expected to take place. Post their UK tour, India are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka in the first week of August, where they are likely to have a short three-four day camp followed by a practice fixture to get acclimatised to the conditions. This match is likely to take place in Colombo, giving the team the chance to get used to the conditions in two cities that will host the Test match. While the white-ball players will be occupied with T20I and ODI commitments in the UK, it is understood that the Test specialists could play one of the A team fixtures. With India also set to host Afghanistan for a three-match ODI series in Chennai, there is more than three weeks of break in between. It is understood that the selectors are keen on sending the likes of Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Devdutt Padikkal, B Sai Sudharsan, and Ravindra Jadeja to Sri Lanka as they want their spinners also get acclimatised to bowling with the red Kookaburra in subcontinent conditions. Similarly, there are also talks of a shadow A tour to New Zealand and in case the plan doesn’t materialise, the team would then land early to get used to the conditions. Since tours to New Zealand, where India have not won a Test since 2008/09, involve only two Tests, India have seldom played practice fixtures and have straightaway played Tests.
WTC at stake, India could send 3-4 red-ball regulars with A Team to Sri Lanka
