Team India start practice ahead of first Test against Bangladesh

Head coach Gautam Gambhir, in his first Test assignment, aims to secure a series win

Published: Sat 14 Sep 2024, 9:21 PM

Updated: Sat 14 Sep 2024, 9:22 PM

Photo by AFP used for illustrative purposes

Team India began their practice session ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh, starting on September 19.

The two-match series between India and Bangladesh will commence on September 19 in Chennai at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The second Test will begin on September 27 in Kanpur.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir, in his first Test assignment, aims to secure a series win.

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Players present for the practice session included the spin quartet of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav, pacer Jasprit Bumrah, star batters including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, among others.

The official X handle of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared footage from the practice session, tweeting, "Preps in full swing here in Chennai! Inching closer to the #INDvBAN Test opener #TeamIndia | @IDFCFIRSTBank".

Rohit will continue to lead the Test side. Pacers Akash Deep and Yash Dayal have received their maiden call-ups, while Rishabh Pant has returned to Test cricket for the first time since his life-threatening accident in December 2022.

Notably, Virat Kohli will also return to the Test format for the first time since India's tour of South Africa in January this year. He missed India's home Test series against England due to the birth of his son, Akaay.

Since then, Kohli has endured an underwhelming T20 World Cup and a tour of Sri Lanka. He will be keen to regain his form.

During India's unbeaten run in the T20 World Cup, Kohli accumulated 151 runs in eight matches at an average of 18.87. In India's 2-0 ODI series defeat against Sri Lanka, he, like the rest of the batting line-up, struggled against spin, managing just 58 runs in three ODIs at an average of 19.33.

KL Rahul has also returned to the Test squad after missing most of the England series due to injury. Jasprit Bumrah, described as a "national treasure," is also back in the team for the first time since his match-winning spell in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa earlier this year.

The spin quartet of Ashwin, Jadeja, Axar, and Kuldeep will contribute with both bat and ball. Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Yash Dayal form India's pace attack. Akash Deep earned his place in the team following a strong performance in the Duleep Trophy, while Yash Dayal has also received his maiden call-up.

For Rohit Sharma's side, this series against Bangladesh will be followed by New Zealand's tour of India for three Tests starting from October 16, and then the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia from November 22.

India's squad for the 1st Test against Bangladesh: 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, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.

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