Virat Kohli will become the 12th Indian and 71st player overall to complete a century of Test matches. The Mohali match will be the 45th Test match between India and Sri Lanka.
The Indian national cricket team will be aiming to extend its epic record against Sri Lanka at home in Test match cricket when the countries face off in a two-match series beginning at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali from Friday (March 4). (More Cricket News)
It will be the 45th Test match between the two teams and the 25th in India. India have won 20, lost seven and drawn 17 in 44 matches played against Sri Lanka. They have won 11 and drawn nine in the 24 previous Test matches against Sri Lanka at home. The Islanders are yet to open their account against India in India.
India have won six and drawn two in eight series played against Sri Lanka at home. India's first series win against Sri Lanka was under Kapil Dev in 1986-87. They won by a 2-0 margin in a three-Test series.
India have won three and drawn two in the last five Test matches played against Sri Lanka. They beat Sri Lanka 1-0 in the last series played at home in the 2017-18 season.
The first Test will mark the beginning of newly appointed full-time skipper Rohit Sharma's journey as the leader of the Test side. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, will represent India in the cricketing whites for the 100th time.
The home side has a few records to extend as it enters the Test series. One that must be highlighted is India's dominance over the island nation in Tests at home.
Virat Kohli will become the 12th Indian and 71st player overall to complete a century of Test matches.
In India - 20 - 11 - 0 - 9;
In Sri Lanka - 24 - 9 - 7 - 8;
Total - 44 - 20 - 7 - 17;
Last five Tests - 5 - 3 - 0 - 2
India: 726/9 dec in 163.3 overs at Mumbai (2009-10);
Sri Lanka: 952/6 dec in 271 overs at Colombo (1997)
India: 112 in 49.5 overs at Galle (2015);
Sri Lanka: 82 in 51.5 overs at Chandigarh (1990-91)
India: 293 by Virender Sehwag at Mumbai (2009-10);
Sri Lanka: 340 by Sanath Jayasuriya at Colombo (1997)
India: 7/51 by Maninder Singh at Nagpur (1986-87);
Sri Lanka: 8/87 by Muttiah Muralitharan at Colombo (2001)
India: 11/125 by Venkatapathy Raju at Ahmedabad (1993-94);
Sri Lanka: 11/110 by Muttiah Muralitharan at Colombo (2008)