CA confirms dates for Australia’s tour to Sri Lanka

Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed dates for the country’s first Test tour of Sri Lanka since the year 2011. The Australian side will play a three-Test series, before five ODIs and two T20Is in a one-and-a-half-month tour from July 26 to September 9. In 2011, Michael Clarke led the team to a 1-0 win over three Tests, but only three players from that series look a chance to be picked this time around.

Steve Smith’s side leapfrogged India in February to finish the latest 12-month period in the first spot on the ICC Test Championship table, while Sri Lanka have dropped to seventh place after a disappointing year. Nathan Lyon, who made his debut in the first game in Galle, is an automatic selection these days; Usman Khawaja was batting sixth in the lineup but is now a must pick at number three; and Peter Siddle is a chance to return after helping Australia to victory in its last Test series, against New Zealand.

Despite a poor year for Sri Lanka, opening batsman Joe Burns was under no illusions as to the sort of challenge they present in their own conditions. “When you’re facing world-class spinners in their own backyard on turning wickets, it’s a different proposition [to playing in Australia],” Burns said in March.

Australia will be challenged on turning tracks and Sri Lanka will back themselves to do well in their own backyard. In Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka have a spinner who can trouble the Aussie batsmen. His duel with Smith will be worth watching considering the latter loves to use his feet against the spinners. It has brought his downfall on a few occasions however the Australian skipper will back himself to take on one of the game’s finest left-arm spinners.

Australia’s Sri Lankan tour schedule:

• First Test: July 26-30 in Pallekele
• Second Test: August 4-8 in Galle
• Third Test: August 13-17 in Colombo
• First ODI: August 21 in Colombo
• Second ODI: August 24 in Colombo
• Third ODI: August 28 in Dambulla
• Fourth ODI: August 31 in Dambulla
• Fifth ODI: September 4 in Kandy
• First T20I: September 6 in Kandy
• Second T20I: September 9 in Colombo

Is IPL just for the youngsters? Here is what Zaheer Khan thinks – Age should not be a factor if you can deliver: Zaheer Khan