Sri Lanka Reportedly Requesting BCCI to Begin India Tour with T20Is First

Sri Lanka cricket has a busy few months ahead of them in 2022. The cricket team will play five Twenty20 Internationals against Australia starting from February 11. After the series ends, they will come to India to play three Twenty20 Internationals and two Tests from February to March. However, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board has requested the BCCI to tweak the schedule slightly. They have requested the Indian cricket board to start with the Twenty20 Internationals and finish it off with the Tests.

According to a report in the Times of India, Sri Lanka cricket has said that it will be easier to manage the logistics in times of coronavirus. “The Sri Lankan team will be playing a T20I series against Australia before coming to India. It will be convenient for them to send a team which will be already in a bubble,” a BCCI source told TOI.

Sri Lanka will play two Tests and it could be a landmark for Virat Kohli, who will be playing his 100^th Test in front of his home fans. However, the Omicron threat might force the BCCI to not allow any fans in the stadium.

Sri Lanka to play in Limited Venues

After the end of the India vs South Africa series, the West Indies will come to India for three ODIs and a similar number of Twenty20 Internationals. But, only two venues will host all the games. Ahmedabad will host the ODIs while Kolkata will play host to the Twenty20 International matches. The series against the West Indies begins on February 6.

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The BCCI apparently wants to distribute international games to a number of state associations. But, with the current coronavirus caseload in India reaching 200,000 everyday, this has made it difficult to do so. Thus, the series against Sri Lanka might be played in only a couple of venues.

Delhi and Bangalore seem to be the likely destinations for the series against Sri Lanka. But, with the coronavirus wave hitting Delhi, that venue might be out of the equation. Sri Lanka last toured India in 2017 for three Tests, three ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals. India won the Test series 1-0, with Virat Kohli scoring 243 in New Delhi. India won the ODI and Twenty20 International series as well thanks to the brilliance of Rohit Sharma.

Sri Lanka has never won a Test in India ever since they started touring the country in 1982. The best result that they have had in India was 0-0 in 1982 and 1997.