Team India will kickstart their home international series with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh which is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. All eyes are around who will secure a spot in the squad to face Bangladesh, who recently made history by defeating Pakistan in a Test series.
India, led by Rohit Sharma, will be brimming with confidence as they prepare to face the Bangla Tigers. The upcoming series would bring India closer to the World Test Championship final, set to take place at Lord’s in June 2025. Notably, India are currently leading the WTC standings with six wins from nine games.
Recent reports indicate that wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul is likely to be excluded from the squad. Notably, the 32-year-old’s career has been plagued by injuries, with a recurring pattern of injury following his strong performances. On the other hand, Rishabh Pant is expected to acquire a spot in the Indian Test team. The report also suggests that India will include two wicketkeepers in the squad– Pant and Dhruv Jurel, who excelled in the recent series against England at home. Additionally, Yashasvi Jaiswal might open with Rohit, leaving no room for Rahul in the team.
Additionally, the team management is expected to include at least four spinners in the squad, given the opportunities they can possess at the Indian soil. Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel’s inclusions are already confirmed, with Washington Sundar likely to be the fourth one. Notably, the pitches in Chennai and Kanpur are typically favous spin bowlers and India will likely start with three spinners in their lineup.
Post the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup triumph, India’s premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah hasn’t featured in any competitive game. It is understood that the 30-year-old has been granted an extended break by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ahead of the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 scheduled for November-December in Australia. Nevertheless, with World Test Championship points at stake, head coach Gautam Gambhir would likely bring back Bumrah in the squad. Notably, his experience would be a valuable addition to the squad, complemented by bowlers such as Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and possibly Akash Deep.
India probable squad for Bangladesh Tests
Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammad Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Sarfaraz Khan
