Naman Garg
Unlike their previous Test encounters, the Indian team will not expect a meek display from Bangladesh when the two sub-continental rivals face off in the first Test in Chennai starting Thursday. Bangladesh are fresh off a historic 2-0 series sweep against Pakistan and would be brimming with confidence.
India’s 40-4 (win-loss) home Test record over the last 10 years is remarkable but there is a small crack, which is getting more pronounced in the past three years, especially when it comes to batting against spin. Virat Kohli in particular has dominated the spinners against the world class team but that period was before 2021. Since then, his numbers against spin have dipped – an average of 30 in 15 Tests in this period. Bangladesh have potent spinners with the likes of left-armers Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul Islam and off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who can hurt any opposition on their day. In fact, it will be a battle of Indian top and middle-order batting against the Bangladeshi spinners that could decide the outcome of the match. The two teams have faced off 13 times in Test matches. India have won 11 of those games, while two have ended in draws. Bangladesh are yet to beat India in a Test. Sachin Tendulkar has scored 250 runs against Bangladesh which is highest score between both the teams player in a single test whenever they played test against each other and Ishant Sharma is the only pacer to take 10 fer in the test match between India and Bangladesh. The pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is a red-soil wicket with some grass still on it, perhaps left to bind the surface. The track should offer good bounce. Wear and tear and hence, help for the spinners could come along as the match progresses, due to the heat that Chennai is expected to present. Weather can also play a crucial role as 50 percent rain is expected in the first 3 days. Experts give India an 83% winning chance against Bangladesh’s 7%, with 10% probability of a draw.
India Vs Bangladesh Squads
India: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Jaker Ali Anik.
India Vs Bangladesh Probable XIs
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep/Mohammed Siraj.
Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana.
