India Vs Bangladesh

As India and Bangladesh gear up for the second Test at Green Park Stadium in Kanpu, there’s plenty of anticipation, intrigue, and uncertainty surrounding the match.

Both teams have everything to play for, with India looking to continue their dominant home run and Bangladesh hoping to put up a stronger fight after their easy capitulation in the first Test in Chennai.

One of the primary factors influencing this Test will be the pitch and the weather. Traditionally, Kanpur offers balanced Test pitches. Fast bowlers enjoy some assistance on the first morning with movement and bounce, while the surface flattens out as the match progresses, aiding batsmen.

In the latter half of the Test, spinners come into play, particularly on days four and five. This makes it crucial for both teams to get their strategy and combination right.

However, the weather could throw a spanner into the plans. Rain is forecast for the first three days of the match, which could impact not only the pitch’s behaviour but also the team selections and the toss decision. Wet conditions could mean less assistance for spinners early on and more for the seamers, deciding to bat or bowl first all the more complex.

Heading into Kanpur, India are likely to retain much of their core. However, with the uncertainty around the pitch and weather, there is speculation about whether they will play three spinners.

Match permutations and combinations

If the pitch is slow, Axar Patel could provide a useful option with his stump-to-stump bowling.

Yet, with Ravindra Jadeja already playing a similar role, Kuldeep Yadav, a local favourite, might get the nod to bring more variety into the spin attack.

Akash Deep could miss out if India opt for three spinners.

For Bangladesh, the challenges are numerous, but there are reasons to be optimistic.

In their second innings in Chennai, their openers provided a solid platform, with Najmul Hossain Shanto returning to form with a well-played 82. Contributions from senior players like Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz also offered glimpses of potential.

However, to compete against India in their own backyard, Bangladesh will need to perform at their peak for sustained periods — something they have struggled to do in the past.

Probable XIs:

India:

Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav/Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Bangladesh:

Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed

(This story was taken from a syndicated feed and was only edited for style by Gujarat Samachar Digital staff)