3 things India need to do right to beat Bangladesh in the 2nd Test ft. playing Kuldeep Yadav
Team India rampaged their way to a 280-run win against Bangladesh in the first Test of the two-match series, but it wasn't an entirely perfect triumph. Rohit Sharma and company were seriously troubled on the opening morning and needed another heroic lower-middle order effort to take the upper hand.
Therefore, heading into the second and final Test of the series, to be played in Kanpur from September 27, India will know that they can't afford to slip up. Bangladesh will be able to play with freedom, and given the talent in their ranks, they are capable of asking a few questions of the home side.
India’s squad for the 2nd Test of the Bangladesh series: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.
On that note, here are three things India need to do right to beat Bangladesh in the second Test.
#3 India can't afford to let Hasan Mahmud settle into a rhythm
The first Test saw Hasan Mahmud bowled a sensational spell on the opening day's play. After captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and boldly elected to bowl first, Mahmud used the movement on offer to trouble the Indian top order, and at one point reduced them to 144/6.
The key reason behind the Bangladesh fast bowler's success in the first Test was the lengths he bowled. He was a touch fuller than his compatriots Nahid Rana and Taskin Ahmed, thereby forcing more false shots out of the opposition batters.
In the second Test, India can't afford to make the same mistake and let Mahmud settle into a rhythm. They need to throw him off his lengths by either coming down the track and playing some shots or staying deep in their crease and forcing him to do something different.
In that regard, Rohit Sharma is one of the best options at India's disposal. He has done this several times across formats and will be expected to overcome his twin failures in the first Test with a dominant display in Kanpur.
#2 India should play Kuldeep Yadav as their third spinner
Both the pacers and the spinners enjoyed the bounce and carry at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where a red-soil pitch was employed by the hosts. This time around, a black-soil pitch is expected to be rolled out at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, one that is likely to produce lesser bounce and more turn.
India should thus replace one of the three fast bowlers with a spinner, and that spinner should be Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm wrist-spinner knows these conditions well, with Kanpur being his home ground, and has also been in excellent bowling form across formats lately.
Given the success they experienced in the first Test, India might be tempted to stick to a three-pacer strategy. They might also be inclined to bring in Axar Patel for additional batting depth. However, Kuldeep is a deadly weapon who could ensure that the game gets over much quicker than anticipated.
#1 India should consider promoting Ravindra Jadeja ahead of KL Rahul
KL Rahul looks rather out of place at No. 6, where he is sandwiched between the aggression of Rishabh Pant and the stability of Ravindra Jadeja. It might be in India's best interests to promote Jadeja to No. 6 and give Rahul a slightly more expressive role, one in which he can bat with the tail.
Bangladesh are expected to field an additional spinner in Taijul Islam, and Jadeja's role could thus become more important. It may not even be the worst idea to have two southpaws out in the middle, although Shakib Al Hasan's reduced bowling workload might force a lot of overs out of the in-form Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Nevertheless, Jadeja is certainly good enough to bat as a specialist batter in the XI and needs to be used as such. Having him at No. 6 could result in positive outcomes for not only him but Rahul as well.