India Test Squad vs Bangladesh 2024: Strenghts, BGT Series Preparation, and Best Lineup

The recent announcement of the Team India Test Squad for Bangladesh created a buzz among cricket fans with clear indications about the future of players and the clarity of their roles. The upcoming test may see a new approach by the players in the test considering there have been some inclusions and exclusions that were hanging by a thread for a longer time. Let’s have a look into the test squad and the decision around it:

India Test Squad Bangladesh Series (1st Test)

Batsmen: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Sarfaraz Khan.

Wicket-keepers: Rishabh Pant, and Dhruv Jurel.

All-Rounders: Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Bowlers: Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, and Yash Dayal.

India Test Squad Key Inclusions:

To everyone’s surprise, Yash Dayal is a new entry into the test squad of India. He has been a consistent performer in the domestic tournament and does well with the red ball in hand. The ongoing Duleep Trophy bowling performances may also be a factor for his inclusion giving the team needs a left-handed seamer as well.

The second deserving inclusion was Akash Deep who has been performing tremendously well every time he’s been given a chance. His spell in the Duleep Trophy could have played its part in his inclusion. His ability to bowl longer spells consistently at 130+ with proper test match line and length earned him the place in the squad.

The recently concluded horrendous performances of KL had put him under scrutiny but BCCI showed faith in him by giving him another chance in the upcoming Bangladesh series. However, the interesting thing to note here is the clarity of his role. Earlier, picked as a wicketkeeper-batsman, but now Rahul has been picked as a pure batter for the upcoming series. This series could very well be a make-or-break series for him.

The earlier exclusion of Ravindra Jadeja had everyone talking about his place in the team with Axar Patel performing better than him. His exclusion in the last ODI series during the Sri Lanka tour had sparked rumors of him being left out and the speculations going around were him being overseen because of the dip in performances for quite some time. However, with his selection, every rumor has been put to rest.

Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan have retained the faith of selectors after their performances in the England series. However, it will be interesting to see who earns their place in the 11 since Rahul and Pant are back now.

India Test Squad Key Exclusions

The first name that comes to mind after this squad is Mohammad Shami. His exclusion is a clear indication that he is still not cleared to bowl after recovering from surgery. Selectors want him to be fit for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and would not hasten him into the India Test Squad.

The second important name in this list is Mukesh Kumar. His exclusion is not quite surprising because of his average performance in the given chances. A good seam bowler who loves to bowl longer spells in test matches with good line and length. He would love to prove the selectors wrong by performing in the ongoing Duleep Trophy.

Another big name missing out is Shreyas Iyer. A big hitter of the spin bowling fails to regain selectors’ faith after the England series. The backbone of the Indian middle order in ODIs, Iyer’s ability to take down the spinner would have been an advantage for India on turning tracks. However, the selectors thought his previous performances were not enough to justify his place in the team. Iyer also averaged just 17.00 in his last 12 test innings, which could be the only factor of his exclusion.

India Test Squad Key Players Watch Out For

The team looks perfect with each place having a good backup option for the selected players. The batting as usual looks dominant at the top order with Rohit, Jaiswal, and Kohli. The only weak link in the top order is Shubman Gill who is yet to prove his capabilities in red-ball cricket. He would love to prove his critics wrong and justify his place for his selection in the India Test Squad. But in the recent home test series against England, he maintained his form and scored 452 runs with an average of 50.22 which helped him to secure his spot for the Bangladesh series.

The middle order will see the likes of KL Rahul, Pant, and Jadeja. The option of two left-handed batsmen in the top 6 will give the flexibility to allow Rohit to experiment in the batting order as per the situation. All three players would love to have some runs under their belt and most importantly Pant will see this as a massive opportunity to regain his old touch in test cricket.

The spin bowling will feature Ashwin, Axar, and Kuldeep who are lethal on any surface, especially under home conditions. Kuldeep will be looking forward to having some wickets to his name and better his bowling performances in test matches at the international level.

The fast bowling department will be led by India’s spearhead Bumrah who will have the support of Siraj, and Yash Dayal. It will be a massive opportunity for Yash Dayal to perform and deliver if he gets a chance.

India Test Squad Opportunities

The series against Bangladesh will be an opportunity for many players to prove their worth in the team. Some of the under-performing players would want to perform ridiculously well and make a statement. Players such as Rishabh Pant would be etching to score tons of runs in the series and get back to being what he was before his brutal accident.

Similarly, it will be an opportunity for Kuldeep Yadav as well who will love to cement his position in the India test squad. A regular member of the LOI squads, Kuldeep Yadav has always played second fiddle to Ashwin and Jadeja. His control on the ball gives him an edge over other young spinners, but he hasn’t been a regular player in the 11. More often Axar is preferred over him due to his batting capabilities, but Kukdeep himself brings a lot of variations who could grab wickets on flat pitches as well. The series will be vital for him to make a statement to the team management.

India’s Best Possible Playing 11 for 1st Test

Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (Wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel/Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj/Yash Dayal.

The upcoming series will be a massive one for many players to cement their place in the team and for some to make a remarkable comeback.