The Indian men's cricket team marked India's 80th Independence Day on Saturday, August 15, 2026, by hoisting the Tricolour at their team hotel in Galle,
Sri Lanka. The entire squad and support staff assembled for the ceremony, which concluded with a rendition of the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) posted a video of the moment, enough to fill any fan of Indian cricket with patriotism.
"On the occasion of Independence Day, #TeamIndia gathered at Galle to hoist the Tricolour 🇮🇳 ahead of the First #SLvIND Test," the BCCI captioned the post.
On the occasion of Independence Day, #TeamIndia gathered at Galle to hoist the Tricolour 🇮🇳 ahead of the First #SLvIND Test.#IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/tHKIggV6AU
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 15, 2026
India's 600th Test and the Independence Day occasion
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill led the flag-hoisting ceremony, with all players and support staff members in attendance. The event was held at the team hotel ahead of the first match of a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium.
The first Test carries a significant statistical milestone for Indian cricket. It is the country's 600th Test match, making India the first Asian nation and only the third side in history to reach that landmark. England and Australia are the only other countries to have played 600 or more Tests.
August 15 also holds a rare place in India's Test-match calendar. This is only the fifth time India have played a Test on Independence Day. The four previous occasions were against England in 1952 and 2014 and against Sri Lanka in 2001 and 2015.
Notably, India's Independence Day falls on August 15 each year, marking the country's independence from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947. The 2026 edition marks 80 years since that historic date. The first Test at Galle International Stadium is the next confirmed development for the touring side.
One confirmed change was made to the squad before the series: Sai Sudharsan was ruled out due to injury, and Sarfaraz Khan was named as his replacement. Sarfaraz, however, could not make the cut for the Playing XI as Gill won the toss and elected to bat first, with Dhruv Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal playing key roles in the batting order over the Mumbai batter.
