Skipper Rohit Sharma has already made it clear that the two-Test series against Bangladesh, starting in Chennai on Thursday, is “no dress rehearsal” as the two-time World Test Championship finalists return to the traditional red-ball format for the first time since March.
The Tests against Bangladesh are a part of the 10 Tests that current WTC leaders, India will play in their second leg of the 2023-25 WTC cycle, that also includes three Tests against New Zealand at home in October, followed by a gruelling five-Test rubber for the Border-Gavaskar trophy Down Under, later this year.
“Every game we play is important. No dress rehearsal here (in the context of the Bangladesh series). Every game becomes important because of what is at stake. WTC. The (standings) table is still quite open. And every game is important,” Rohit said.
Bangladesh, fresh from a recent 2-0 whitewash of Pakistan, have previously played three Tests in India, and lost all three (including two by an innings), are no pushovers this time, and this will add spice to the contest between India’s world-class batting and Bangladesh’s potent spin unit at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, that traditionally assists the slower bowlers.
India’s 40-4 (win-loss) home record in the last decade speaks of one-sided domination but the Bangladeshis will be eager to take advantage of the diminishing returns from the star duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma against quality spin in the past three years.
Kohli, who has been a nightmare for opposition sides in India’s dominant home run since 2015, has recently seen his numbers against spin dip to an average of 30 in 15 Tests since 2021 while Rohit, who once averaged over 90 against tweakers, has seen his numbers slip to 44 in 15 matches during the same period. Even KL Rahul in his limited appearances finds himself at 23.40 in the five matches he has featured. Even though the numbers aren’t alarming, the Indian batters will have to work their way around to fine-tune the art of playing spin, especially in sub-continent conditions.
India’s newly-appointed assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had stressed on this point recently after the side’s debacle against Sri Lankan spinners in a three-match ODI series which they lost 0-2.
In contrast, the numbers from the younger lot led by Rishabh Pant (five matches, average 70), Shubman Gill (10 matches, average 56) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (five matches, average 115), sound promising, and the team will expect the trio to carry forward the form in the upcoming games.
While the numbers of Gill and Jaiswal are primarily against an inexperienced English spin attack, India will expect the explosive Pant to lead the charge when he makes a much-anticipated return to the Test circuit for the first time ever since the near-fatal car crash in December 2022.
Bangladesh boasts of an effective spin attack, led by the seasoned Shakib Al Hasan, alongside left-armer Taijul Islam and off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, equipped with all the skills of taking down any quality opposition.
In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are certain to figure in the first eleven, and it’s as formidable a unit as one would get irrespective of conditions.
On the other hand, Bangladesh’s batting will mainly revolve around the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim, who boasts of an average in excess of 50 in Indian conditions, along side the likes of Shakib and Litton Das.
Besides their potent spin-bowling attack, the tourists also have a new pace sensation in Nahid Rana, who surprised the Pakistanis in the second Rawalpindi Test with a match-haul of five wickets, including game-changing spell in the second innings. Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, however, cautioned that the pace attack isn’t only about one individual but it has gradually developed into a fearsome unit.