The upcoming two-match Test series between India and Bangladesh, set to begin on September 19, 2024, has garnered significant attention, especially with some fresh faces being named in India’s squad.
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly has singled out pacer Akash Deep as a player to watch during the series, praising his pace, endurance, and wicket-taking abilities. Akash, along with fellow pacer Yash Dayal, has been included in the squad, with Dayal earning his maiden call-up. Akash, known for his ability to bowl in the high 140s km/h, had an impressive recent performance in the Duleep Trophy.
Ganguly emphasized that India’s spin attack, featuring Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav, will pose a formidable challenge for Bangladesh on Indian pitches, which typically favor spinners. He highlighted that Bangladesh will find it tough to navigate the series, particularly in Chennai, where the conditions may also offer significant bounce.
Although Ganguly lauded Bangladesh for their recent Test series win against Pakistan, he remains confident that India, with a strong batting and bowling line-up, will dominate the home series. India is currently leading the ICC World Test Championship standings, which adds extra importance to this series ahead of India’s future fixtures against New Zealand and Australia later this year.
The squad for the first Test includes key players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah, along with emerging talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan. India’s combination of experienced stalwarts and promising youngsters will be tested as they prepare for a busy Test season ahead.
