India look to spin a new story but tricky Bangladesh no pushovers

Chennai, Sep 18 (PTI) Littered largely with lopsided contests, India’s hopes of walking down that familiar path will hinge on sorting an uncharacteristic batting infirmity against spin when they face Bangladesh in a two-Test series starting here from Thursday.

Bangladesh, who are fresh from a recent 2-0 drubbing of Pakistan, are no pushovers this time and this will add to India’s list of concerns as they look to take that bold first step into a long season that features 10 Tests, including a possible berth in the World Test Championship Final.

India’s 40-4 (win-loss) home record in the last decade is awe-inducing but there is an ever-little crack, which is getting more pronounced in the past three years, particularly in the case of star batter Virat Kohli.

Kohli was a constant in India’s bull run at home since 2015, crunching runs for fun against all comers. But since 2021, his numbers against spin have dipped -an average of 30 in 15 Tests in this period.

This is not to hold against Kohli’s extraordinary qualities as a batter, but it’s an area that the champion cricketer himself will certainly want to improve upon.

Skipper Rohit Sharma has also been prolific in dismantling spin, especially since his promotion as an opener in 2017 against South Africa. He averaged over 90 against tweakers.

But since 2021, it has come down to a less flashy 44 in 15 matches. KL Rahul, a batter who is backed by Rohit as equally proficient against spin and pace, offers a slightly bleaker picture.

In the last three years, he has played five Tests at home but against the slower kind, the elegant right-hander’s average has taken a beating and stands at 23.40.

Collectively, these stats need to be taken as an indication of waning skills but, perhaps, also as a reminder to refocus on perfecting the art of playing spin, often the core strength of batters from this part of the world.

Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had stressed on this point recently after India’s debacle against Sri Lankan spinners in a three-match ODI series which they lost 0-2.

There are bright points too in Rishabh Pant (five matches, average 70), Shubman Gill (10 matches, average 56) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (five matches, average 115).

However, the numbers of Jaiswal and Gill are constituted by their breakaway series against England earlier this year, but the Three Lions did not have an experienced spin attack to lean upon.

In contrast, Bangladesh have much more potent spinners in left-armers Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul Islam and off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who can hurt any opposition on their day.

Here, India will bank on the firepower and innovative approach of Pant to unsettle and eventually take down the visiting spinners as the Delhiite is expected to return to Test cricket for the first time since his horrific car accident in 2022.

In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, R 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.

India will ponder over whether to go with a third seamer in either Akash Deep or Yash Dayal, considering that the MA Chidambaram Stadium may offer a red-soil pitch, or field a third spinner in Kuldeep Yadav as is the prevailing trend in a home Test.

India can also consider the option of giving another run to Axar Patel as it can give a fillip to late order batting against a Bangladesh attack that also has two express quicks in Nahid Rana and Hasan Mahmud.

New head coach Gautam Gambhir too might have a small but significant personal goal in front of him, that is to start the first Test series under his tutelage on a winning note, after returning from Sri Lanka with a tad underwhelming 1-1 record from a white ball tour.

An obsessed pursuant of victory, he will want to set it right.

Rohit might carry a contrarian view on such individual targets and dress rehearsals, but India’s effort in this series, first in six months for them in the traditional format, will certainly be a strong pointer to the course for the season ahead.

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.