India head coach Gautam Gambhir provided strong indications of the team’s lineup for the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. Despite the spin-friendly reputation of Indian pitches, the match will be played on a red soil track, which traditionally favors fast bowlers. Nonetheless, Gambhir emphasized that the Bangladesh team must learn to cope with various conditions, hinting that spin will still be a significant factor.
When discussing India’s playing XI, Gambhir suggested that youngsters Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel might have to wait for their chance to feature in the series. This essentially confirmed that Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul would retain their places in the team.
Both Sarfaraz and Jurel had made their Test debuts during India’s series against England earlier this year, but with experienced players back, they find themselves on the sidelines. “We don’t drop anyone. We just pick the players who fit the XI,” Gautam Gambhir clarified at a press conference. “Jurel is a phenomenal player, but when Pant is coming in, sometimes people have to wait. Same with Sarfaraz. There will be opportunities, and you have to wait.”
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Gambhir also praised India’s spin duo, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, hinting at their pivotal role in the upcoming match. His remarks indicated that India would go with a three-pronged spin attack, including Kuldeep Yadav.
“First is the impact they can create on Day 1 and Day 5. You can’t pick one whether they will be effective on day 1. We are fortunate to have Ashwin and Jadeja. They can bowl both defensively and offensively,” Gautam Gambhir remarked.
With India’s extensive Test season ahead, opportunities will arise for the youngsters, as player rotation becomes crucial to managing the workload. As of now, the playing XI looks settled, with the batting lineup featuring captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli in the top order, followed by KL Rahul at No. 5 and Rishabh Pant at 6.
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Ashwin and Jadeja will take up the all-rounder roles, complemented by fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. The only question mark remains the fifth bowler, but according to a PTI report, Kuldeep Yadav is likely to secure the spot ahead of Axar Patel and fast bowlers Akash Deep and Yash Dayal.
