Star India batter Virat Kohli has reached Chennai as his side gears up for a busy season. India, led by Rohit Sharma, are poised to begin their final push for a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the third consecutive time with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh at home. The opening match is scheduled to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from September 19, Thursday.
The series opener against Bangladesh will mark Kohli’s first home Test appearance in 18 months, as his last was in March 2023. The 35-year-old flew directly from London to join his Indian teammates for a pre-season camp and arrived in Chennai in the early hours of Friday. After India’s triumphant T20 World Cup campaign, he has been primarily in London, with a brief appearance in a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka. Additionally, he has been away from red-ball cricket for a considerable period, including missing the five-match series against England.
The upcoming series against Bangladesh also features other key players like Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. Pant is making his comeback after a near-fatal accident in December 2022. The squad includes newcomers Akash Deep and Yash Dayal, alongside leading spin bowlers Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav. Meanwhile, the pace attack will be bolstered by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Dayal.
The Rohit Sharma-led side are aiming to maintain a formidable home record. After the series against Bangladesh, India will host New Zealand in a three-match series followed by a five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia.
India have been extremely dominant at home since 2013. They have secured a record 17 consecutive home Test series victories and have lost only four home Test matches in this period. Apart from their successes at home, India have also excelled as a touring side, achieving series wins in Australia, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and Bangladesh. They have also managed to draw series in England and South Africa.
India’s remarkable performances in Tests in the last decade has led to a significant turnaround in their Test history. Making their Test debut in June 1932, India have so far played 579 Tests, winning and losing 178 matches each, and drawing 222. If India manages to win the opening Test against Bangladesh, they will achieve a win-loss ratio of above one for the first time in their Test history.
