India will look to seal the series when they take on Sri Lanka in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo from Sunday, August 23.
Shubman Gill's side head into the match 1-0 up after a commanding 165-run victory in Galle, built on Devdutt Padikkal's maiden Test century and Manav Suthar's 10-wicket haul on debut in the country.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, must win to level the series, having been bowled out for 284 and 206 in a match where they never threatened the target of 372 set by the tourists.
With the World Test Championship points at stake and both sides in the lower half of the standings, The Sporting News takes a look at the latest weather forecast for the Colombo Test.
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There is genuine concern for cricket fans, with Colombo currently in the grip of its southwest monsoon season. The city typically records between 15 and 22 rainy days in August, and the forecast points to a consistent threat of showers across all five days.
As per the forecasts, there is a significant chance of rain interrupting play throughout the Test, with the probability hovering between 50 and 60 per cent on every day.
Scattered showers and afternoon thunderstorms are the likeliest pattern rather than washouts, meaning stoppages are more probable than lost days.
The other factor worth noting is the oppressive humidity, which is expected to sit around 80 per cent. Combined with temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius, conditions will be physically demanding for both sides, particularly after KL Rahul was forced to retire hurt with cramps during the Galle Test.
Unlike limited-overs cricket, Test matches do not use the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. Any time lost to rain or bad light is instead recovered by extending the day's play, with umpires able to add extra time and bring forward the start on following days.
Lost overs are made up wherever light and time permit. Should significant portions of the match be washed out, a draw becomes the likeliest result, an outcome that would hand India the series but leave Sri Lanka needing a win to salvage anything from the WTC cycle.
The second Test between Sri Lanka and India will begin at 10:00 AM IST, which is also the local start time in Sri Lanka. The session timings are below.
Here's how to watch the Sri Lanka vs India match in India:
TV channel: Sony Sports Network Live stream: SonyLIV
The Sri Lanka vs India series is available to stream live through the SonyLIV app and website for fans in India. For TV viewers, they can watch the game live on the Sony Sports Network channels.
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