Focus will be on the Galle International Stadium as India and Sri Lanka get ready to compete in the first Test of the two-match series. For the home team, they will be keen to end an 18-year wait to beat the Indians in a red-ball series. Their last series triumph was in 2008, with Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis running riot against the visiting side. Sri Lanka secured a 2-1 margin.
Shubman Gillon the other hand, knows that a series loss here will surely end their WTC final chances. The 26-year-old also knows that his side will be facing a spin trial when the series gets underway on Saturday. Team India players have struggled against the spinners in recent times, and New Zealand and South Africa have shown this to the world.
India are without jasprit bumrah and Sai Sudharsan, with Washington Sundar also expected to be ruled out. The home team is also without their senior batters Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka, who are also facing injury issues.
Here are some of the milestones that can be achieved during the upcoming SL vs IND Test series
Shubman Gill on the cusp of special record
Indian skipper needs 31 more runs to reach the 3000-mark in Test cricket. The batter has played 41 Tests so far and scored 2969 runs at an average of 44, including 11 centuries and eight fifties.
KL Rahul close to 10,000 international runs
Veteran opener KL Rahul needs 170 runs to complete 10,000 runs in international cricket. The batter has scored 4153 runs from 68 Tests, 3412 runs from 98 ODIs and 2265 runs in 72 T20Is to take his tally to 9830 runs.
Ravindra Jadeja set to join elite list
Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is just two wickets away from reaching 350 Test wickets. He will become the fourth player after Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, and Danie Vettori to score 4000 runs and take 350 wickets in the red-ball format.
Kapil Dev – 5248 runs and 434 wickets
Ian Botham – 5200 runs and 383 wickets
Daniel Vettori – 4531 runs and 362 wickets
Rishabh Pant to enter elite club
Wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant needs three sixes to become the first Indian player to reach 100 sixes in Test cricket. The 28-year-old has so far hit 97 sixes and is currently tied with New Zealand pacer Tim Southee. For the record, Ben Stokes heads the list with 138 maximums in his Test career.
Other records up for grabs
Yashasvi Jaiswal needs 109 runs to complete 5000 runs in First Class cricket.
Yashasvi Jaiswal needs five sixes to reach the 50-mark in Test cricket.
Mohammed Siraj needs 10 more wickets to reach the 150-mark in Test cricket.
Dinesh Chandimal is 163 runs away from completing 14,000 runs in First Class cricket.
Niroshan Dickwella needs 159 runs to complete 5000 runs in international cricket.
Dhananjaya de Silva is seven wickets away from completing 50 Test scalps.
Lahiru Kumara is six wickets firsty from completing 200 first-class scalps.
Milan Rathnayake is just one wicket away from completing 150 first-class scalps.