On Friday, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board announced that free entry will be provided to fans for the upcoming two-match Test series against India in Galle and Colombo. The first Test starts on 15 August at Galle and runs through the 19th. The second is at the SSC in Colombo from 23 to 27 August. Both matches count towards the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. SLC put out a statement on Friday confirming the free-entry policy. They said they want more people in the stands and called it an excellent opportunity to witness world-class Test cricket. Entry will be through Gate 4 at Galle. At the SSC, the open gates are 3, 4, 5 and 7.

“Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wishes to announce that public admission to the upcoming Test Series between Sri Lanka and India will be free of charge thus providing cricket fans with an excellent opportunity to witness world-class Test cricket,” SLC stated in a release.

“Sri Lanka Cricket warmly invites cricket enthusiasts, young aspiring cricketers, families, and sports fans from across the country to take advantage of this initiative and experience the excitement of international Test cricket between Sri Lanka and India,” it added.

Sri Lanka Cricket XI post 363/8 as India monitor Gill's fitness

India captain Shubman Gill sat out the first day of the warm-up match after picking up an impact injury to his right ring finger in Thursday’s training session in Colombo. The medical team decided to keep him off the field as a precaution for the three-day game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI. KL Rahul led the side in his place while the management monitored the injury. Sri Lanka Cricket XI batted first and posted a total of 363/8 at the end of the first day. India are expected to bat on Day 2 and on the final day both teams will bat for 45 overs each. India will be hoping Shubman Gill can recover and feature in the coming days.

Test matches in Sri Lanka have struggled to bring in large crowds for years while limited-overs games still pull big numbers. This is one of the reasons the Sri Lankan cricket board has decided to make the entry free. August is school-holiday time in Sri Lanka, so the board is hoping families and kids will turn up. They have specifically invited young players, families and anyone who just wants to watch some proper cricket. This is a crucial series for both these sides. India sit fifth on the WTC table. Sri Lanka are placed sixth.