IND vs SL Test series 2026 umpires: Full list of match officials for India vs Sri Lanka Test matches in Galle and Colombo originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- The India-Sri Lanka Test series marks the first meeting between the two sides in this format since 2017.
- A five-member umpiring panel plus Zimbabwe's Andy Pycroft as match referee has been named for both Tests.
- India arrive weakened by injuries and a rocky recent record against spin, giving Sri Lanka a real shot at home.
Umpires and match officials for India vs Sri Lanka Test series 2026
India and Sri Lanka renew their rivalry in the longest format of the game with the first Test starting on August 15 in Galle.
This will be the first Test series between India and Sri Lanka since 2017. Under Gautam Gambhir, India have lost back-to-back home series to New Zealand and South Africa. Those series exposed a batting order that once dominated spin but now looks shaky against it.
Add in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah for the entire tour, plus fitness issues ruling out Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Sri Lanka will feel this is as good a chance as they've had in years.
MORE: IND vs SL 1st Test predicted playing XIs: India's selection dilemma
Match Officials for the India vs Sri Lanka Test series 2026
| Role | Official | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Match Referee | Andy Pycroft | Zimbabwe |
| Umpire | Rod Tucker | Australia |
| Umpire | Ahsan Raza | Pakistan |
| Umpire | Sharfuddoula Saikat | Bangladesh |
| Umpire | Raveendra Wimalasiri | Sri Lanka |
| Umpire | Prageeth Rambukwella | Sri Lanka |
Know the India vs Sri Lanka Test series 2026 match officials in Galle
Andy Pycroft (Match Referee): Andy Pycroft is a member of the ICC's Elite Panel of Match Referees, and with only two Tests on the calendar here, he'll be the sole man in that chair throughout the series. His own playing days weren't especially long: three Tests and 20 ODIs for Zimbabwe as a top-order batter.
But he drifted into coaching and administrative roles before making the jump to full-time officiating in 2009. Since then, he's built one of the most extensive resumes in the game: over 600 international matches under his belt, including more than 100 Tests, over 220 ODIs, and over 180 T20Is.
Rod Tucker (Umpire): Rod Tucker played as a middle-order all-rounder for New South Wales and Tasmania before he traded in the bat for the white coat back in 2003. He worked his way up to the ICC's Elite Panel by 2010, and he's stayed there ever since, racking up more than 250 international appearances. He recently became just the fourth umpire in the history of the sport to officiate 100-plus Test matches.
MORE: 3 reasons why Sri Lanka should believe they can beat India at home
Ahsan Raza (Umpire): Ahsan Raza was behind the stumps as a wicketkeeper-batter for Lahore and Faisalabad in Pakistan's first-class scene. He moved into umpiring in the late 2000s and spent years grinding through the lower rungs before finally cracking the ICC's Elite Panel in March 2023. Since then, he's overseen more than 180 international matches, which is a mix of 15-plus Tests, 50-plus ODIs, and a staggering 110-plus T20Is.
Sharfuddoula Saikat (Umpire): A former Under-19 player himself, he went on to become the first Bangladeshi umpire ever inducted into the ICC's Elite Panel in March 2024. He's since taken charge of well over 120 international matches, covering 13-plus Tests, 70-plus ODIs, and 45-plus T20Is.
Raveendra Wimalasiri (Umpire): Raveendra Wimalasiri spent years working in Sri Lanka's domestic circuit. After clearing the joint BCCI-ICC accreditation process, he earned a permanent spot on the ICC's International Panel back in 2013 and has been a regular fixture ever since. His international log now runs past 100 matches, mostly in the white-ball formats, though he's also a familiar face as TV umpire or fourth umpire whenever Sri Lanka hosts Test cricket at home.
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Prageeth Rambukwella (Umpire): Prageeth Rambukwella turned out in first-class cricket for both Galle and Tamil Union. He made the move into officiating during the mid-2010s and joined the ICC's International Panel in 2019. Since then, he's built up more than 40 international appearances across ODIs, Women's T20Is, and T20Is, along with a good chunk of experience as third or TV umpire in matches played on Sri Lankan soil, including regular duty in the Lanka Premier League.
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