The Indian Ocean lapsing into liquid sighs and roaring waves is entwined with Galle’s topography. This coastal town with a colonial past is leafy and charming. In this Sri Lankan amalgam of fine aesthetics and overwhelming history, India is seeking a fresh path in Tests.

The two-Test series commencing with the first one here from Saturday (August 15, 2026) offers Shubman Gill’s men a rope to pull themselves up from the pit they sunk into in cricket’s longest format.

India, the dominant in ODIs and T20Is, despite the recent blip in England, is also India the inconsistent in Tests, especially after losing in its backyard first against New Zealand and then to South Africa.

It is no surprise that India is placed fifth in the current ICC World Test Championship rankings, and in a cycle that would also feature clashes against Australia, the time for instant revival is now. Coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Gill get a chance to get over transition blues and chase success.

Men with impeccable legacies have walked into their twilight. In a fresh era, one that misses Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R. Ashwin, the team-management has to guide the caravan ahead. At different points in the past, batons have been passed smoothly in batsmanship, be it from Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar, or from the latter to Kohli.

In K.L. Rahul, Gill has a solid link with the immediate past. It is the same in bowling, too, with veteran Ravindra Jadeja still being in the mix.

However, a medley of retirements, injuries and selectorial interventions like the refusal to pick Mohammed Shami does leave the squad in a state of flux.

In the past, the Indian middle-order briefly toyed with the promise offered by Karun Nair, Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer, and then moved on. It is into this vacuum that players like Devdutt Padikkal and the returning Sarfaraz Khan have to step into and find their groove.

In a world shaped by optics, the latest cricketing fad is to prove your batting chops against fast bowling. In this macho quest, Indian batters seem to have lost their patience and poise against spin. A weakness that has taken many by surprise, and one that Sri Lanka would try to exploit on surfaces amenable to the slow and the wily.

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya is the latest among the twirly men, keen to prove his mettle against the visiting Indians. In the rival quarter, Kuldeep Yadav would prefer a steady position in the playing XI. He is a spinner who should not be allowed to wither away.

From bustling Colombo, Gill’s men, after a good warm-up fixture, travelled past green hills, and are taking in the sights of the Indian Ocean. There is no message in a bottle from the seas, but if Rishabh Pant could revive his batting style of fury and fun, India would be better placed. More clues may be gleaned when the squad trains at the Galle International Stadium on Thursday (August 13).

Off-spinner Saransh Jain has earned a maiden call-up to India’s Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka next month. The two Tests will be played in Galle (August 15-19) and Colombo (August 23-27).

Saransh’s opportunity comes on the back of off-spinning all-rounder Washington Sundar sustaining a hamstring injury during the ODI series against England. The BCCI stated that Washington wasn’t available for the first Test, and hence has been left out altogether.

Saransh, 33, has picked up 188 scalps in 54 First Class appearances. He plays for Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket.

From the squad that was picked for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh in June, Ravindra Jadeja has made a return. Having been rested for that assignment, the 37-year-old all-rounder will helm the spin department on the tour of the island nation. Manav Suthar, who thoroughly impressed against the Afghans, and Kuldeep Yadav are the other tweakers at Shubman Gill’s disposal. Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey has been left out.

Jasprit Bumrah has also returned to spearhead the pace attack, but his selection is subject to fitness. The 32-year-old missed the last ODI on the recent tour of England after sustaining an injury to his left knee. Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar are the other pacers in the 15-member squad.

In the batting department, Sai Sudharsan’s availability also depends on his fitness status. The left-handed batter starred on India A’s tour of Sri Lanka with two hundreds.

Ahead of the two Tests, the Indian team will play a four-day practice match in Colombo from August 7. 

The squad: Shubman Gill (C), K.L. Rahul (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah*, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain.

*subject to fitness