India team for Bangladesh Test series

The Ind vs Ban Test series will start from September 19, with the first Test at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Bangladesh enters the series with high confidence after a historic 2-0 clean sweep of Pakistan on its home soil — its first-ever against the rival.

This series marks Pant’s return to Test cricket for the first time since December 2022, when India last played in Bangladesh. The wicketkeeper-batter was sidelined after suffering a severe car accident shortly after the tour. Pant has made his comeback in domestic red-ball cricket, scoring a half-century for India B in the ongoing Duleep Trophy.

Rahul, too, returns from injury after being sidelined following the first Test against England this year in Hyderabad. He showed good form in his Duleep Trophy appearance, contributing a half-century. Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel, who filled in as wicketkeeper during the England series in the absence of Pant and Rahul, retains his spot in the squad.

On the bowling front, veteran pacer Mohammed Shami remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from Achilles heel surgery earlier this year. Akash Deep, who impressed on his Test debut against England in Ranchi, has been selected again after a nine-wicket match haul for India A in the Duleep Trophy.

FULL SQUAD

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.

From tomorrow, Ind vs Ban 2nd test.

India vs Bangladesh: The way India bounced back in the game reaffirmed their supremacy in Test cricket, especially at home where they are on course for a record extending 18th consecutive series win

The second India vs Bangladesh Test presents a great chance for the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team to take a step closer to the World Test Championship finals. The all-round show of Ravichandran Ashwin, Shubman Gill's sublime hundred, Ravindra Jadeja's quality batting and Rishabh Pant's roaring comeback allowed India to script a comfortable victory in Chennai despite being put under pressure by the Bangladesh pacers in the first Test.

The way India bounced back in the game reaffirmed their supremacy in Test cricket, especially at home where they are on course for a record extending 18th consecutive series win. Having made a successful return in white-ball cricket, it was time for Pant to show that it is the Test arena where he can make the maximum impact.

Both Rohit and Virat's bats remained silent in the series-opener as Bangladesh pacers -- Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed -- bowled probing lines on a supportive track and were rewarded.

With a long Test season ahead of them, the two premier batters must be itching to get back among the runs. Playing his first Test at home since March 2023, Kohli did not look at his sharpest and one can trust him to not go for expansive cover drives at the start of his innings.

The Green Park wicket has traditionally been a low and slow track that assists spinners. While it is expected to offer some assistance to the fast bowlers initially, the basic nature of the pitch, prepared with black soil brought from Unnao, is not expected to change much.

The wicket will become slower as the game progresses. It means, India can field three spinners instead of three pacers. If that is indeed the case, Akash Deep could make way for Kuldeep Yadav