India are all set to begin a two-match Test series with hosts Bangladesh on Thursday, aiming to fine-tune its performance against reverse spin bowling. Even though India’s clinical display at home {40-4} over the last 10 years is impressive, of late, it has been troubled against the spinners.
This series embedded ahead of them includes a grueling schedule of 10 Test matches and World Test Championship final. Bangladesh comes into this having recently beat Pakistan 2-0 and poses a threat to Indian squad.
Against spinners some key Indian batsman have had their struggles in last couple of years. Kohli averaged level thirty in fifteen Test matches since 2021 against spin. Rohit` apartheid from spin has come down to forty-four in last three years. KL Rahul also had such issues averaging only twenty-three point four against spin in last five home Tests. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate highlighted the need to shift gears after India’s poor showing against Sri Lanka’s spin in the last ODI series.
Teams (from):
- 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.
- Match starts at 9.30 AM IST.
Bangladesh’s spinners comprising of Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz are effective. But Rishabh Pant has been in good form as he averages 70 against spinners in his last five outings. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are also looking good and these two youngsters will face a poor English spin attack in recent games.
The Indian pace battery consisting of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja is very good. The management will have to decide whether to go with a third pacer in Akash Deep or Yash Dayal or include a third spinner in Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel. Selecting Patel will only add depth to batting as lower-order would get solid support.
The newly appointed Gautam Gambhir who takes over the charge is on the lookout for a satisfactory beginning to his term. He will be looking to begin briskly in Test cricket after a mediocre white-ball outing in Sri Lanka.
In that respect, this series is going to put a huge pressure on the batting order of the team and give the right template for the never ending Test season ahead.
