Sri Lanka vs Australia 2025 Test series: Galle International Stadium pitch history and Test records

The Galle International Stadium will host the two-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Australia, starting on Wednesday, January 29. Dhananjaya de Silva will lead the home side, while Steve Smith will captain the visitors in the absence of Pat Cummins.

Although the series does not have much significance in the race to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, both teams will be keen to avoid losing. Sri Lanka will play for pride in front of their home fans, whereas Australia will aim to gain momentum ahead of the WTC Final against South Africa in June.

Before the first Test begins, here's a quick look at the pitch history and Test records of the Galle International Stadium.

---

Galle International Stadium Test records

The pitch in Galle supports the slower bowlers and batters. Australia have picked spinners Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann, and Todd Murphy in their squad because of the conditions in Galle.

Here are some key stats to know from the previous Test matches played at the venue:

Test matches played: 46

Matches won by teams batting first: 25

Matches won by teams batting second: 15

Matches drawn: 6

Highest individual score: 333 - Chris Gayle (WI) vs Sri Lanka, 2010

Best bowling figures (innings): 7/46 - Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) vs England, 2003

Best bowling figures (match): 13/171 - Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) vs South Africa, 2000

Highest team total: 704/3 dec - Sri Lanka vs Ireland, 2023

Lowest team total: 73 - South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 2018

Highest successful run-chase: 344/6 - Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 2022

Average first innings score: 369.

---

Galle International Stadium pitch report

The pitch report for both Tests of the Sri Lanka vs Australia series will be live on TV before the toss takes place. As mentioned ahead, batters and slower bowlers should rule the roost in Galle.

The pitch will be good for batting initially, and then, the spinners will come into the game. Teams batting first have had a better win percentage than teams batting second, which is why the captain winning the toss may bat first.

---

Galle International Stadium's last Test

Sri Lanka crushed New Zealand by an innings and 154 runs in the last Test played in Galle back in September 2024. The home side posted a mammoth 602/5 dec in the first innings, riding on centuries from Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, and Dinesh Chandimal.

In response, New Zealand lost all their wickets for 88 and 360 in their two innings. Spinner Prabath Jayasuriya took nine wickets for Sri Lanka in that Test.

Here's the match summary:

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 602/5 decl. (Kamindu Mendis 182*, Glenn Phillips 3/141) beat New Zealand 88 (Mitchell Santner 29, Prabath Jayasuriya 6/42) & 360 (Glenn Phillips 78, Nishan Peiris 6/170) by an innings and 154 runs.