IND vs BDESH 2024/25, IND vs BAN 2nd Test Match Preview

Big picture: Another tough test awaits Bangladesh

Bangladesh came into this series after winning 2-0 in Pakistan. It peaked when they had India 144 for 6 in the first innings in Chennai. But then India once again showed why they are arguably the strongest home team in Test history and went on to crush Bangladesh by 280 runs.

It was a display of India’s depth in batting and bowling. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli managed only 34 runs between them in four innings, but India had three centurions and two half-centurions. As for the bowling, their seamers shared eight wickets in Bangladesh’s first innings and the spinners nine in the second.

Things won’t get any easier for Bangladesh in Kanpur, where New Zealand’s tail had held on to secure a draw the last time a Test was played here. There is also some uncertainty on the ground. Ground staff were preparing two surfaces, and as of midday the day before the game, it was unclear which one would be used.

Kanpur generally offers good Test match pitches which help the fast bowlers on the first morning before flattening out and helping the spinners on the last two days. However, the weather could be a problem this time around, with rain forecast for the first three days. This could impact not only the pitch, but also the draw decision and team composition.

But all is not doom and gloom for Bangladesh. In their second innings in Chennai, their opening matches gave them a good start, followed by the return to form of Najmul Hossain Shanto with 82. In their first innings, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz all started . But to be competitive against this Indian team at home, you have to be at your best for much longer periods. Can Bangladesh do it?

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five tests, most recent first)
Bangladesh LWWLL

In the spotlight: Shubman Gill and Shakib Al Hasan

Shubman Gill knows his ceiling. Even after scoring 452 runs, including two hundreds in the home series against England earlier this year, he recently said he was yet to live up to his expectations as a Test player. Gill got out for a duck in the first innings of the Chennai Test against Bangladesh, but scored an unbeaten stroke-filled 119 in the second. Given that India face tougher opponents in the coming months – New Zealand and Australia – Gill would be keen to sharpen his game at No.3.

When is Shakib Al Hasan not in the spotlight? While batting in Chennai, he was seen biting a black strap wrapped around his neck to prevent his head from falling. When it was time to bowl, there were murmurs about his workload, his inefficiency and his discomfort with the finger spinning. And after Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe confirmed Shakib’s availability for the second Test, he dropped a bombshell on his future on the eve of the match.

Team News: Wait and watch?

There was no indication from the Indian side whether they would play with three spinners. Even if they do, it may not be a simple choice. If the pitch is too slow, Axar Patel could be useful with his pace and attack the stumps. But India already has a similar spinner in Ravindra Jadeja. In favor of Kuldeep Yadav, this is his home ground. It is therefore also a tempting option. If India plays against Axar or Kuldeep, Akash Deep could be the one to miss out.

India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (captain), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rishabh Pant (week), 6 KL Rahul, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Axar Patel, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj

If Bangladesh opts for three spinners, Taijul Islam could replace Nahid Rana. This could also ease Shakib’s workload, if necessary.

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Litton Das (week), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 years old Taskin Ahmed

Terrain and conditions: Slow and weak rebound?

The red clay pitch in Chennai had decent bounce for the seamers and spinners in the first Test. Kanpur will be different. The two courts considered for the match are black ground surfaces. They will likely be flatter, with lower bounce, and should become slower as the test progresses. All of this could change if it rains as forecast, and poor light could also become a factor late in the day.

Stats and trivia: Jadeja doubles down on the cards

Quotes

“We don’t particularly model bad pitches. But we try to make sure the conditions are tough enough for the players to be challenged. A lot of these guys have played for so many years. It’s just that. they are challenged as they can So sometimes the thought process is just to challenge them differently so that you and your game organically and mentally grow.
Assistant coach of India Abhishek Nayar on the benefits of playing on varied terrains

“Pitches don’t matter much against teams like England, Australia and India. They will obviously have weapons they can attack us with. They have quality batsmen, bowlers and bowlers. Fast spinners I don’t think the pitch will have any effect. We have to do better than what we played in Chennai.
An all-rounder from Bangladesh Shakib Al Hasan

Hemant Brar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo