India vs Bangladesh Live Score 1st Test, Day 1: The pitch at the Chepauk Stadium will be in focus
India vs Bangladesh Live Score 1st Test, Day 1: India are returning to competitive cricket after more than a month by hosting Bangladesh for two Test matches and three T20Is. The Test series begins with the a match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and it marks the beginning of the home run for India as far as qualification to the World Test Championship final is concerned. Over the course of the next six months, India are scheduled to host New Zealand in a three-match series after the Bangladesh rubber and that will be followed by an epic five-Test tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. …Read More
Led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh would be buoyed by their recent historic 2-0 win over Pakistan, however, India in home conditions would be a different customer completely. No other team has dominated at home quite like they have. India have won 17 successive Test series at home since 2013 and have lost just four Tests they have hosted in this period. Moreover, Bangladesh have never won a Test match against India. Out of 13 Tests played between the two neighbours, India have won 11 and two matches ending in draws.
The Indian cricket team arrived a week before in Chennai to get used to the conditions and on Monday all the 16 players of the squad took part in the training session. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan – who joined the squad late after playing the second round of Duleep Trophy – had a hit in the nets with the India captain putting more focus on playing the spinners knowing that the Bangladesh have too many spin bowling options.
On the other hand, Bangladesh who landed in Chennai on Sunday had their intense training session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday. Litton Das, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam and Mushfiqur Rahim timed the ball really well in the nets. Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan, the spinners who would play a key role in the two-match Test series were also seen in action. Shakib Al Hasan was expected to link up with the squad on Tuesday after his County stint at Surrey. The main attraction of Bangladesh’s training session was young pacer Nahid Rana, who claimed six wickets in two Tests against Pakistan.
Red-soil pitch and selection
The Chepauk track has been laid out with the red soil that is usually used to prepare the Wankhede pitch. Traditionally the red-soil pitch has bounce and carry, keeping the seamers in the picture. However, the hot and humid conditions in Chennai would possibly offer grip for the spinners as the Test progresses. But it would be the quicks who are expected to make an impact in the match because of the nature of the track and conditions. There would be a few sessions in the Test that would be dominated by reverse swing too.
When Rohit and coach Gautam Gambhir sit together to finalise the playing XI they have to make that call whether to pick an extra seamer or spinner. The certain starters in the bowling department are: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Who takes the fifth spot? The contenders are Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep and Yash Dayal.
Interestingly, India last played three seamers in a home Test and it was against Bangladesh in Kolkata in 2019. The chances of India going in with a third seamer is high because of the red-soil pitch in Chennai. There is a possibility of India using the Bangladesh and New Zealand series that would follow as the preparation ground for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy from November to January. But they won’t risk laying out seamer-friendly tracks to prepare for Australia, while dropping crucial WTC points by losing Tests to Bangladesh and New Zealand. Mohammed Shami is expected to get fit for the Australia tour, but India would have these two Test series to identify other seamers apart from the regular quicks.
However, the India captain is not too concerned and said India have a lot of bowlers to pick from. Besides seniors, some talents also made heads turn in the recently concluded two round Duleep Trophy matches. Another selection dilemma would be between Sarfaraz and KL Rahul, who is returning to the Test fold after a while. Dhruv Jurel who was impressive in his debut series against England, has to make way for Rishabh Pant who is returning to Test cricket after a gap of two years.
When asked at the press conference about the work-load management for the bowlers ahead of the Australia tour, Rohit was clear that he and the team management have plans to rotate bowlers, depending on the workload that has been carried by them. In the England Tests, both Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were rested, paving the way for Akash Deep’s Test debut. But with this being a two-Test series, the room to experiment isn’t much. So if players are rested, it will be done over the next five Tests – two against Bangladesh and three versus New Zealand.
