When will India play next Test series after IND vs SA whitewash?

Following the conclusion of the IND vs SA series, there is a 10-month gap before India play their next Test series in the WTC cycle

India cricket team have a long-gap before they play their next Test following the conclusion of the IND vs SA Test series. Rishabh Pant and co. were handed a 408-run defeat by South Africa in the 2nd Test in Guwahati as the latter ended their 25-year-wait to win a Test series in India. With the end of this series, India’s focus will now shift to white-ball assignments against SA followed by a series against New Zealand, and then the T20 World Cup 2026 in February.

Team India’s upcoming Test schedule

India’s next Test series will take place in August 2026 and it will be a two-match series against Sri Lanka. They will then take on New Zealand in another two-game affair in October-November 2026. The final series for the Men in Blue before the World Test Championship (WTC 2025/27) final will be the series at home against Australia, which is scheduled to take place in January-February 2027.

At present, India are 5th on the World Test Championship standings, having played nine matches out of which they have won and lost 4 each and have drawn 1 game. Their cycle started with a 2-2 draw in the five-match series against England earlier this year. It was then followed by a 2-0 win against West Indies at home. India were then handed a setback by South Africa as they suffered a second whitewash at home in a year’s time as the Proteas beat them 2-0 in their own backyard.

The road to the WTC final has just gotten more tougher for India as they would have to win all the remaining series in the cycle in order to fancy a chance of punching their ticket at Lord’s.