Match: India vs Bangladesh, Test series 2024 (IND vs BAN)
Date: September 19, Thursday, 9.30 AM IST
Venue: M Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
India, currently sitting at the top of the World Test Championship 2024 rankings, is set to begin the second leg of the current cycle with a two-match series against Bangladesh at home. The first Test will be played in Chennai from September 19, following which the action will move to Kanpur.
In the first leg of the cycle, the Rohit Sharma-led side won six out of nine matches. During the second leg, India will play 10 games – five at home and as many away. This includes the Border-Gavaskar Trophy away from home. By the time the Border Gavaskar Trophy ends, we are likely to get a clearer picture of which two teams will play the final.
The last time India turned out in whites was in March against England, when they won the series 4-1 after losing the opening Test. Before that, they drew a series 1-1 in South Africa and defeated the West Indies in an away series.
India’s record against Bangladesh in Test cricket is unblemished, having never lost in their 13 meetings. The last Test match between the two neighbouring countries was in December 2022 in Mirpur, which India won by three wickets.
However, Bangladesh, having recently achieved a historic 2-0 series win in Pakistan, is not to be underestimated. This win marked Bangladesh’s first Test win against Pakistan and took them to the fourth spot in the WTC 2024 rankings.
India, who have lost two WTC finals, are one of the top contenders for a spot in the WTC 2024 final, but each match from here on will be crucial. Ahead of the first Test match between India and Bangladesh, here’s all you need to know.
India vs Bangladesh team news and predicted XI
India team news and predicted XI
Team news: KL Rahul, who has missed five Tests this year due to an injury, is making a comeback, and so is Rishabh Pant. Since his car accident two years ago, Pant had not been seen in Test cricket. His last outing in white was also against Bangladesh in Mirpur, in December 2022. Both KL and Pant will have to grab the opportunity with both hands, with Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel having impressed in the England series.
Full squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant (Wicket-keeper), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Md. Siraj, Akash Deep, Yash Dayal
Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav/Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Bangladesh team news and predicted XI
Team news: Pace bowler Shoriful Islam will miss the series against India after suffering a groin injury in Pakistan. Meanwhile, Jaker Ali Anik has been included in the squad the backup wicketkeeper, but is unlikely to have any role in the playing XI as Litton Das is fit.
Full squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (Wk), Litton Kumer Das (wk), Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Jaker Ali Anik
Predicted XI: Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Khaled Ahmed, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed
Weather update and pitch report
Multiple reports suggest that the Chennai pitch will be made of red soil, which means we are likely to see a lot of bounce on offer. However, from day 3 onwards, we can also see the spinners come into play because it’s pretty hot in Chennai, so the pitch is expected to become dry. India have won four of their last five Test matches at this venue.
It will be partly cloudy in Chennai after 7 PM on Day 1 of the game, but hot and sunny in the morning and afternoon.
Head-to-head record for India vs Bangladesh
India have won 11 of their 13 games against Bangladesh, drawing the other two. Only three of those 11 matches were played in India. Talking about the overall series between the two, India have won seven of the eight while drawing one.
Five players to watch out for
Here we list five players you can use in your MPL fantasy team for IND vs BAN, 1st Test
Litton Das
Bangladesh’s senior wicketkeeper batsman Litton Das comes into the series on the back of impressive form. The right-hander was one of the top performers for his team in the historic 2-0 win over Pakistan, having scored 194 runs in two innings at an average of 97. This includes a match-saving century in the second Test in Rawalpindi. When Bangladesh were struggling at 26 for 5, Das produced a memorable innings of 138 to rescue the Tigers.
Nahid Rana
Pace bowler Nahid Rana is only 21 years ago, but showed immense confidence against some of the top Pakistan batsmen. He consistently bowled at a speed of over 150 kmph and impressed one and all with his pace and bounce. He picked up five wickets in the Rawalpindi Test, including Babar Azam’s. Since the Chennai pitch is expected to be bouncy, Rana is expected to play a crucial role for Bangladesh. Another Bangladesh bowler to watch out will be Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The offspinner was named the Player of the Series in Pakistan for picking up 10 wickets across two matches, including a five-wicket haul. With the bat, he produced two consecutive half-centuries.
Rishabh Pant
All eyes will be on Rishabh Pant, who is making his Test comeback after almost two years. Interestingly, Pant’s last Test was also against Bangladesh in December 2022. Since his return to cricket after a near-fatal car accident, Pant has struggled to regain his form. His performances in IPL 2024 were disappointing, and he also failed to make an impact in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Now, with a series against a lower-ranked Bangladesh, Pant has an ideal opportunity to rediscover his rhythm. With Dhruv Jurel impressing in his early international outings, Pant will need to find his form quickly to retain his permanent spot in the playing XI. Moreover, he’s expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal was India’s top run-scorer against England in the Test series, amassing 712 runs. At only 22 years of age, Jaiswal has already established himself as a top batsman. In his short Test career, the youngster has scored 1028 runs from nine matches at an average of 68.5. This includes four centuries and two fifties. Then there’s also Shubman Gill, another batsman who can pose a big threat to Bangladesh. Gill scored 452 runs against England, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer for India.
Jasprit Bumrah
No fantasy cricket team involving India is ever complete without Jasprit Bumrah. On the red-soil Chennai pitch, Bumrah will be India’s bowling spearhead. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the England series with 19 scalps, and finished with the best bowling average of 16.89.
MPL XI
IND vs BAN – where and what time to watch the match live in India
The India vs Bangladesh Tests will be televised on the Sports18 and Colors Cineplex channels in India. You can also watch the game on the Jiocinema app. The match will begin at 9.30 AM IST on September 19.
MPL Fantasy Picks
Check out our detailed guide on fantasy cricket for more tips and tricks. https://dev.mpl.live/blog//todays-match-prediction/
Note: The players recommended here need not be a part of the Playing 11 on game day. Users are advised to do their own research also and follow official sources and create their teams.
