3 things to watch out for from India's perspective in the 1st Test vs Bangladesh ft. Rishabh Pant's comeback
After a long period away from the limelight, India are back in action once again! Rohit Sharma and Co. will face off against Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, with the opening encounter scheduled to commence on Thursday, September 19.
Bangladesh have never beaten India before in a Test, but that doesn't mean much heading into the new rubber. The Tigers are on the back of a memorable series win over Pakistan, and India will likely have their hands full in Chennai.
India’s squad for the 1st 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 to watch out for from India's perspective in the first Test against Bangladesh.
#3 Rishabh Pant is back in the Indian whites
Rishabh Pant was in his element in the Duleep Trophy as he wasn't afraid to play his shots and threw himself about behind the stumps. He has already made a return to the whites, but not at the international level, where he established himself as easily the world's best Test keeper-batter.
On Thursday, Pant will be back in action for India in his best format. His fitness doesn't seem to be an issue, and his form hasn't been too bad either. Slotting into the middle-order, the maverick batter will be key against Bangladesh's spinners.
Watching Pant in white is always a treat for fans, while India will be intent on watching how he goes ahead of a long and important Test season.
#2 Can Jasprit Bumrah find some support at the other end?
India have some issues in the pace department. Mohammed Shami is yet to recover from injury, while Mohammed Siraj has been woefully inconsistent. Others like Mukesh Kumar and Prasidh Krishna have been tried, but they haven't impressed to a great degree.
The hosts can call upon Akash Deep and Yash Dayal apart from Siraj to partner Bumrah, and how the pace unit fares in Chennai will be something to keep an eye on. The leader of the attack could be rested for the second Test, and the others will need to step up regardless.
#1 Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and the search for middle-order solidity
Shubman Gill is likely to slot in at No. 3, while KL Rahul is favored to pip Sarfaraz Khan to a spot at either No. 5 or No. 6. On either side of Virat Kohli, the duo will want to do their immense potential some justice by bringing their Test averages to the heights they deserve.
India are yet to arrive at a proper succession plan for Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Yashasvi Jaiswal seems to have solved one problem at the top of the order, but lower down, the home side need some assurances.
Gill did well towards the end of the England Tests, and Rahul is simply too classy a player to finish his Test career without doing justice to his talent. The duo's performances will be closely tracked by India, with an eye on New Zealand and Australia coming up.