The India cricket team are touring Sri Lanka in July 2021 to play three One Day International (ODI) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.[1] The ODI series will form part of the inaugural 2020–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.[2][3] All the matches are scheduled to take place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.[4] Originally, the tour was scheduled to take place in June 2020, but was moved back to August 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[5] before being postponed.[6] On 9 July 2021, following an outbreak of COVID-19 cases in the Sri Lankan camp,[7] the series was postponed from 13 July to 19 July.[8]
The tour overlaps with India's participation in the 2021 ICC World Test Championship Final and a Test series against England.[9] Therefore, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar as India's captain and vice-captain respectively for the matches against Sri Lanka.[10] Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) named Dasun Shanaka as the captain for tour, with their selectors releasing Kusal Perera from his captaincy role.[11]
Background
In May 2020, Sri Lanka Cricket sent an email to the BCCI requesting for the series to be played in July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12] It also suggest the possibility of playing the matches behind closed doors.[13] The BCCI responded saying they were open to travelling to Sri Lanka, as long as there is no compromise to the wellbeing of their cricketers.[14] However, they also stated that the tour was "close to impossible at present", and they would have to wait to see how the pandemic unfolds.[15] On 18 May 2020, Ashley de Silva, the CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket, confirmed that the tour had not yet been postponed.[16] At the end of May, Sri Lanka Cricket named a 13-man squad to begin training at the Colombo Cricket Club.[17] In June 2020, the BCCI agreed to tour Sri Lanka in August 2020, subject to government permission.[18][19] On 12 June 2020, the BCCI confirmed that it had called off the tour due to the pandemic.[20]
In May 2021, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirmed that India would tour Sri Lanka to play five T20Is, although later the BCCI wanted to reduce it to a three-match series.[21] However, as the tour may ease the financial loses faced due to COVID-19 pandemic by boosting Sri Lanka Cricket's revenue,[22] the board asked the BCCI to play five T20Is instead of three.[23] On 20 May 2021, the BCCI considered the request, and agreed to play five T20Is.[24] However, on 10 June 2021, Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed the tour itinerary with only three T20Is.[25][26] On 8 June 2021, Rahul Dravid was named as the head coach of India's team for the tour.[27]
Squads
India did not name individual squads for the ODI and T20I matches, opting instead to name a combined squad of 20 players for the tour.[29] Ishan Porel, Sandeep Warrier, Arshdeep Singh, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore and Simarjeet Singh were also named as net bowlers.[30] Ahead of the series, Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews requested not to take part in the tour due to personal reasons.[31]
ODI series
1st ODI
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2nd ODI
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3rd ODI
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T20I series
1st T20I
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2nd T20I
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3rd T20I
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References
- ↑ India's tour of Sri Lanka in July to comprise three ODIs, three T20Is. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ↑ Schedule for inaugural World Test Championship announced. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
- ↑ Men's Future Tours Programme. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ↑ Schedules of Sri Lanka's next three tours revealed. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
- ↑ India agree to tour Sri Lanka in August. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ↑ India's tours to Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe postponed. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ↑ Sri Lanka team's data analyst GT Niroshan tests positive for Covid-19. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ↑ India-Sri Lanka ODI series likely to be postponed to July 17. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ↑ India Announce Squad for Sri Lanka Tour; Shikhar Dhawan to Lead, Bhuvneshwar Kumar Vice Captain. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ↑ India's squad for ODI & T20I series against Sri Lanka announced. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ↑ Dasun Shanaka to replace Kusal Perera as captain. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ↑ SLC writes to India on resuming bilateral cricket. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
- ↑ Sri Lanka Cricket requests BCCI to explore possibilities of playing scheduled series in July. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
- ↑ India open to travel to Sri Lanka for limited-overs series, says BCCI. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
- ↑ Sri Lanka tour close to impossible at present: BCCI official. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
- ↑ Cricket might resume in Sri Lanka in July with India, Bangladesh series. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ↑ Sri Lanka's 13-man squad to begin training on Monday. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
- ↑ BCCI agrees to Indian team touring Sri Lanka in August: Report. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ↑ India not to tour Sri Lanka in June; SLC hopeful of limited-overs series in August. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ↑ BCCI calls off India's tours to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ↑ India to play three ODIs and five T20Is in Sri Lanka, says BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ↑ India Doubled Matches On Tour To Help Ease Covid Losses: Sri Lanka Cricket Chief. NDTV Sports. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ↑ BCCI agrees to play more matches during Sri Lanka tour. Bdcrictime(20 May 2021). Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ↑ India to play extra matches in Sri Lanka to ease Covid-19 pandemic losses. Sportstar. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ↑ India tour of Sri Lanka 2021 – Match Fixture.
- ↑ International Cricket returns to 'Khettarama' with the Indian tour. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ↑ Dravid to travel as head coach for Sri Lanka tour. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ↑ Shikhar Dhawan to captain India on limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ↑ India's squad for ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka announced, Shikhar Dhawan named captain. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ↑ Dhawan named captain for Sri Lanka tour; Padikkal, Sakariya among new picks. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ↑ Mathews opts out of India series due to personal reasons. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
External links
Template:International cricket tours of Sri Lanka Template:International cricket in 2021 Template:2020–23 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League