WTC – Sri Lanka confirm Australia’s two Tests in Galle, plus one ODI

Australia will play two Tests in Galle on their tour of Sri Lanka from late January, which could be crucial in deciding who reaches the final of the World Test Championship, with an ODI added to the tour as preparation for the Champions Trophy.

Depending on how the Border-Gavaskar five-match series plays out, the series could be crucial to both sides’ hopes of reaching Lord’s in June.

Exams will be held from January 29-February 2 and February 6-10. The ODI will be held on February 13 at a venue to be confirmed with the teams scheduled to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

“We’ll see what that looks like as time gets closer,” coach Andrew McDonald said. “We have a couple of players in Mitch Marsh and Travis Head who are on maternity leave at the moment. So we respect that if that would happen at that time and if he wants to miss the Test. If he has bigger things to do. ignore the Test match in Sri Lanka, that’s fine by us.”

“I think if we are really serious about the young spinners who will go there, whoever will accompany Nathan. [Lyon]is the Big Bash the best setting?” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I would be encouraging selectors to let these spinners go early and I would be encouraging those spinners to practice with the red ball between Big Bash matches. “