Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and opted to field first in the inaugural match of the two-test series against India in Chennai on Thursday. India assembled a three-pronged seam attack spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah for the red-soil pitch, anticipated to assist bounce and spin at the M.A.Chidambaram Stadium. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is set to feature in his first test since his traumatic car accident in December 2022. Local hero Ravichandran Ashwin and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will jointly manage the spin duties for the hosts.
"I would have chosen the same (to bowl first)," India captain Rohit Sharma remarked. "The conditions will be demanding. We've prepared thoroughly, so we should trust our capabilities and play as we know how." Bangladesh is riding high on confidence following their 2-0 series triumph in Pakistan earlier this month.
"There's moisture on the wicket, and we aim to capitalize on it," Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto explained his decision at the toss. "The manner in which we played that series (against Pakistan), we are confident. This is a fresh series, and we must adhere to our strategies."
Teams:
Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Taskin Ahmed
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj.
