Chennai: India perhaps after a few months gap resume their World Test Championship series eyeing for a place in the final for the third successive time.
India, on the top of the WTC table, having won 4-1 against England at home, will be taking on Bangladesh for a two test series beginning here at the iconic M A Chidambaram stadium here tomorrow.
Both the teams are high on confidence as the teams square-up for the series,though the home starts as favourites considering its strengths in all aspects–batting and bowling besides all round skills.
India fresh from 4-1 series win over England at home resume the series after a few months as skipper Rohit Sharma himself admitted, while Bangladesh is fresh from its historic 2-0 win over Pakistan taming them in their own soil.
It was in this background both the teams are ready to battle it out at the Chepauk stadium from Thursday.
India, fielding a full strength side faces a dilemma on selecting its final XI. Whether to go with three pacers or three spinners.
Traditionally, Chennai wicket helps the spinners and Bangladesh also knows the conditions in the sub-continent.
But off late, the Chennai wicket has been transformed that assists seam bowlers, perhaps in a bid to counter the Aussie pace attack in the five match series beginning with the bouncy Perth wicket in November.
It was in this background India and Bangladesh start their series tomorrow.
While the pitch that will be chosen will aid the spinners or the fast bowlers. It’s there the selection of final XI comes in to the picture.
India’s top seven automatically comes into the playing XI and the remaining four is the question.
While the top order is secured with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill at the opening slot, the middle order is more secured with Virat Kohli and K L Rahul along with wicket keeper Rishab Pant returning to the squad.
As Rohit sharma said the team will be keen to see Rahul get back to his form as he praised on his batting prowess.
But the chance for the fifth and sixth slots are the matter to be determined if India goes for three seamers and two spinners–Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
In case if the pitch, which has been assisting seamers in the last encounters, gets similar, India will go for a three-seamer attack with two spinners.
Bangladesh on the other hand will be relying on their all rounders Mominul Haque and Shakib Al hasan to tackle the Indian batsmen along with their bowling skills.
A keen contest awaits the team as they gird up their loins to face each other on a wicket that would determine the final XI on the morrow.
