India and Bangladesh will lock horns in the first of their two-match Test series on December 14. Although Bangladesh have vastly improved in limited-overs cricket over the last few years, they remain a weak side in Test cricket. In fact, the Bangla Tigers are yet to win a Test match against India.
Interestingly, Bangladesh played their first Test match against India after getting their Test status by ICC in 2000. Sourav Ganguly-led India had routed Bangladesh in that landmark Test in Dhaka, courtesy of Sunil Joshi’s all-round show.
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Bangladesh has battled India on home soil in Tests on eight occasions. Of these six have gone in India’s favour while two matches ended in a draw. This head-to-head record doesn’t inspire much confidence for the hosts.
India’s dominance against Bangladesh in Tests also features some exceptional individual performances. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar played one of his finest knocks against Bangladesh in the 2004 Dhaka Test. Tendulkar smashed 248 runs in that Test which also happens to be his highest score in the longest format of the game.
This upcoming series might be a golden opportunity for Shakib Al Hasan and Co. They will be backing themselves to register a win against India in the longest format of the game this time around. Team India are missing the services of senior players like miss Mohammad Shami, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah. The team will be led by stand-in captain KL Rahul in absence of Rohit Sharma who has been ruled out of the series due to a thumb injury.
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KL Rahul is going through a rough patch and hasn’t contributed much with the bat in the past few months. Bangladesh scripted a rare ODI series victory against India last week and will be high on morale. Shakib will also take heart from the fact that Bangladesh managed to play out a draw at Fatullah during India’s last tour of Bangladesh in 2015.
If the hosts can effectively tackle the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin, then they produce surprising results. Bangladesh will also have to contend with an in-form Virat Kohli. The star India batter scored a scintillating hundred in the third ODI last week and is back among the runs. Their chances will also depend on the young sensation Mehidy Hasan Miraz. If the prolific all-rounder can carry forward his red-hot form in the Test series, then it can be anybody’s game.
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