Chattogram: KL Rahul’s tactical acumen will be tested along with his batting prowess when a depleted Indian team clash with a tricky Bangladesh in the high-stakes two-match Test series. The result of the series will have an impact on India’s chances for the World Test Championship final qualification.
India are currently fourth in the WTC table behind Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka. The only way of qualifying for the final in June is to straightaway win both the Tests against Bangladesh and then all four at home against Pat Cummins’ Australia to eliminate any ifs and buts.
The journey starts at the Zahoor Ahmed Stadium here, which has traditionally favoured the batters. However, the pitch also offers some turn towards the business end of the match.
The visitors will start as overwhelming favourites in Test format. Bangladesh are yet to beat India in a Test, but the absence of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja could hurt the side.
Jadeja’s absence on this kind of track always puts Indian team on the back-foot especially when the opposition team are batting in the third or fourth innings. Jadeja-Ashwin duo, at least against lesser Test nations on sub-continental tracks could be lethal but Axar Patel has done his hard yards over the past two seasons as the second choice left-arm spinner. However, India will have to take a call whether they go into the game with a third pacer or spinner. Whether India will field a third choice specialist spinner in wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav or slow left-arm orthodox Saurabh Kumar is there to be seen.
Saurabh has been a star performer for the India A team in the recently concluded two-Test series against Bangladesh A with 15 wickets. He would feel that he has made his case for a Test Cap in at least one of the two games.
In the past one year, Rahul hasn’t been exactly exceptional in terms of cricketing smarts as far as captaincy is concerned. This series against Bangladesh where he is likely to get two games will be an acid test as far as his long-term leadership ambition is concerned.
Rahul unveiled the trophy with his Bangladesh counterpart Shakib al Hasan here. He told mediapersons that his team ‘plan to play aggressive cricket’ as they know what exactly need to be done in order to reach the WTC finals for the second consecutive time.
But Rahul, whose performances in white-ball formats has been a bit underwhelming to say the least, will have to walk the talk in terms of showing the required intent and aggression in batting department. He will have young Shubman Gill for company with Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer manning the middle-order.
Rishabh Pant will be back in what could safely be termed as his favourite format where his uncluttered batting has been a delightful spectacle for the Indian fans.
In the bowling department, Umesh Yadav, a master at his craft on barren sub-continental tracks will have Mohammed Siraj, Ashwin and Patel for company. In case a third pacer is selected instead of an additional spinner, the choice will be between two bowlers of one-Test experience – domestic doyen Jaydev Unadkat and the skiddy Navdeep Saini, who is more remembered for being at the other end when Pant created history at the Gabba.
As far as Bangladesh team is concerned, it will be keen to change its dismal winless record against India over the past 22 years.
In the traditional format, Bangladesh have never had the bowling resources to trouble teams regularly even when they have played at home. Pacers Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam along with spinners Shakib and Taijul Islam would love to alter the script.
But they do have a steady batting line-up for home conditions with skipper Shakib having 4,000 plus runs under his belt. Add Mushfiqur Rahim’s tally of 5000 plus runs and another former skipper Mominul Haque’s 3500 plus aggregate, the Bangladesh batting does have a solid look.