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England will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match Test series at home from August 21 to September 10. The series will kick off with the first Test to be played at Old Trafford in Manchester from August 21 to August 25. The second Test will be held at the iconic Lord's in London from August 29 to September 2. England and Sri Lanka will then meet in the third Test at Kennington Oval in London from September 6 to September 10.
England will miss the services of their talismanic skipper Ben Stokes, who has been ruled out of the series against Sri Lanka due to a hamstring injury he picked up while featuring in the Hundred. With no Stokes in the team, Ollie Pope will lead the hosts in the three-match series, while aggressive batter Harry Brook has been named as vice-captain.
Looking at Sri Lanka, they will be led by Dhananjaya de Silva in the three-match Test series. Nisala Tharaka and Milan Rathnayake are the two uncapped cricketers in the 18-member squad, while leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay also makes a return to the Test team.
As England and Sri Lanka prepare to face each other in the three-match Test series, here's a statistical preview of the contest.
England vs Sri Lanka Tests: Head-to-head record
England and Sri Lanka have met each other in 36 Test matches so far, with the Englishmen winning 17 games and Sri Lanka eight. Eleven Tests between the two sides have ended in a draw. England have an 8-3 win-loss record at home against Sri Lanka from 18 matches, with seven games ending in a draw.
Highest totals in England vs Sri Lanka Tests
Sri Lanka's 628-8 declared in Colombo (SSC) in December 2003 is the highest team total in Test matches between the two nations. The Lankans are second on the list as well. They scored 591 at The Oval in August 1998. For England, the 575/9 declared they made at Lord's in June 2014 is their highest total against Sri Lanka in Test cricket.
Lowest totals in England vs Sri Lanka Tests
The record for the lowest total in England vs Sri Lanka Test matches is jointly held by both nations. England were bowled out for 81 in Galle in December 2007. Sri Lanka were knocked over for the same score in Colombo (SSC) in March 2001.
The Lankans were also bowled out for 82 in Cardiff in May 2011 and 91 at Headingley in Leeds in May 2016.
Largest margin of victory by innings
Sri Lanka hammered England by an innings and 215 runs in Colombo (SSC) in December 2003. This is a record for the largest margin of victory by an innings in England vs Sri Lanka Test matches. As for England, their highest innings win against Sri Lanka came in Birmingham in May 2002. They won the contest by an innings and 111 runs.
If we talk about the smallest victory margins by runs and wickets respectively, England beat Sri Lanka by 42 runs in Colombo (SSC) in November 2018 The Englishmen also registered a three-wicket victory over the Lankans in Kandy in March 2001.
Most runs in England vs Sri Lanka Test matches
Former Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene holds the record for having scored the most number of runs in England vs Sri Lanka Test matches. Jayawardene featured in 23 Tests against the Englishmen and scored 2212 runs at an average of 58.21.
Another former Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara is second on the list of batters with the most runs in England vs Sri Lanka Tests. The elegant left-hander featured in 22 Tests and scored 1568 runs at an average of 40.20. Former England captain Alastair Cook completes the top three. He played 16 Tests against the Lankans and notched up 1290 runs at an average of 53.75.
Highest individual scores in England vs Sri Lanka Tests
Joe Root's 228 off 321 balls in Galle in January 2021 is the highest score in England vs Sri Lanka Test matches. Jayawardene is second on the list. He scored 213* off 411 deliveries in Galle in December 2007. Another former Sri Lankan skipper completes the top three. Sanath Jayasuriya hit 213 off 278 deliveries at The Oval in August 1998.
Most hundreds in England vs Sri Lanka Tests
Jayawardene holds the record for having struck the most number of hundreds in the England vs Sri Lanka Tests. He notched up eight tons in 41 innings. England's seasoned batter Root occupies the second place in the illustrious list. Root has struck four tons in 18 innings.
Highest partnerships in England vs Sri Lanka Tests
Thilan Samaraweera and Jayawardene's 262 for the third wicket at Colombo (SSC) in December 2003 is a record for the highest partnership in England-Sri Lanka Tests. For England, Jonathan Trott and Cook added 251 for the third wicket in Cardiff in May 2011.
Most wickets in England vs Sri Lanka Tests
The legendary Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for having claimed the most wickets in England vs Sri Lanka Tests. He played 16 matches and claimed 112 wickets at an average of 20.06, with eight five-fers.
James Anderson is a distant second on the list. In 14 Tests, he claimed 58 wickets at an average of 22.18, with five five-fers.
Best bowling figures in England vs Sri Lanka Tests
Muralitharan's 9-65 at The Oval in August 1998 is a record for the best innings bowling figures in England vs Sri Lanka Tests. He claimed 16-220 in the same Test, which is a record for the best match figures in an England vs Sri Lanka Test.
For England, Phil DeFreitas' 7-70 at Lord's in August 1991 are the best innings bowling figures against Sri Lanka. Anderson's 10-45 at Leeds in May 2016 are the best match figures for England against Sri Lanka in Test matches.
