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Sri Lanka v Australia Test series: Dates, venue, history & more

Australia are among the teams starting to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February, but first they have the challenge of a two-Test series in Sri Lanka to undertake.

The pressure is slightly off after a series victory over India ensured a place in the World Test Championship final, where the Baggy Greens will face a rejuvenated South Africa.

Steven Smith will lead the Aussies against the Islanders, with both Pat Cummns (paternity leave) and Josh Hazlewood (injury) absent, while the likes of Cooper Connolly, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney and Beau Webster have opportunities to impress.

With conditions likely to favour the slow bowlers, star off-spinner Nathan Lyon has back-up from left-armer Matt Kuhnemann and fellow offie Todd Murphy.

Sri Lanka v Australia dates

The first Test match in Sri Lanka gets underway on Wednesday 29 January, with the start time on each of the five days set for 15:30 AET.

The second Test match is scheduled to start on Thursday 6 February and again play is scheduled to start at 15:30 AET on all five days.

Sri Lanka v Australia venue

Both Test matches are scheduled to take place at the Galle International Stadium in Galle, which has hosted 46 Test matches to date, of which only six have ended in draws.

The hosts have won 26 times in those 46 Tests in Galle and have claimed victory in five of the last six Tests played at the venue - most recently beating New Zealand in September 2024.

Sri Lanka v Australia how to watch

There is no confirmed Australian broadcaster for this series as yet, with Foxtel and Kayo having provided coverage of the last Baggy Greens series in Sri Lanka in 2022.

Sri Lanka v Australia history

Sri Lanka and Australia first met in a Test match in April 1983, with the Baggy Greens winning by a massive innings and 38-run margin in Kandy, while the overall record between the two side reads 20 Australia wins, five Sri Lanka win and eight draws.

That head-to-head is certainly loaded heavily in favour of the Aussies, but the recent record shows that this is likely to be a hotly contested series in Galle.

The Islanders have claimed four of their five victories over Australia within the last seven meetings between the two teams, with their first-ever success having come in Kandy back in September 1999.

Sri Lanka thrashed the Aussies by 229 runs in a low-scoring contest in Galle back in August 2016, with no batter passing 50 for the Baggy Greens and the hosts going on to complete a 3-0 series sweep.

Most recently the two sides played a two-Test series - both in Galle again - in June and July 2022, with the spoils shared in a 1-1 draw.

Australia powered to a ten-wicket victory in the first Test, with Lyon claiming nine wickets and being given fine support by leg-spinner Mitch Swepson and part-time off-spinner Travis Head.

Sri Lanka responded by winning the second Test by an innings and 39 runs, with Dinesh Chandimal making a double century and Prabath Jayasuriya taking 12 wickets in the match with his left-arm spin.

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