Bangladesh begins new chapter in Hyderabad today

Hyderabad: The stage is all set for Bangladesh to play their first ever Test on Indian soil when they take on the host for the Ganguly-Durjoy Trophy 2016-17 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium (RGICS) on Thursday.

The trophy has been named after Sourav Ganguly and Naimur Rahman Durjoy, the two rival skippers when Bangladesh made their Test debut at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka in 200-01.

Incidentally, the two neighbours will be renewing their Test rivalry after their last meeting at Fatullah in 2015. In fact, it was this very match where Virat Kohli began his stint as a full-time captain of Team India.

However, the scenario and equations have changed dramatically over the years. Although, the visitors have had a chequered phase, India regained its famed touch. Today, it is the team to beat, irrespective of where it stands in the Test rankings. On home soil, Team India is that much tougher as an opponent, a fact that the Englishmen learnt the hard way having been annihilated in all three formats of the game.

Led from front by Kohli, who has been in terrific, and terrifying, nick since taking over the mantle, Team India would have least bit of consideration that Bangladesh would have sentimental reasons to make a match of it. A thoroughbred professional outfit, Indians will mount pressure and go for the kill right from the time the two captains go for the toss.

On current form, India will begin as the odds-on favourite coming as they are from a tremendously awesome win-streak. The morale of the visiting team ought to be pretty low after the disastrous series against New Zealand.

The only thing that goes in favour of the Bangladesh players, particularly the bowlers, is that the tracks back home are similar to that found in India. They are, more or less, used to such conditions and that is where India would do well not to get complacent.

Although head coach Anil Kumble has stated that they were yet to decide on the line-up, most slots in the playing eleven are almost cemented. The only area where a tough choice has to be made would be in deciding the No five spot, which could be a close call between Ajinkya Rahane and Karun Nair. It will be ditto when taking a call on the inclusion of all-rounder Hardik Pandya.

Bangladesh will be dependent on the exploits of wicketkeeper-captain Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, and Shakib Al Hasan and last but not the least, their new spin sensation, Mehedi Hasan.

There is no denying that the host trump card Ravichandran Ashwin has an outstanding record at RGICS, whose uneven bounce he has exploited each time he has played there. With Ravinder Jadeja bowling in tandem, it can have the batsmen in all sorts of knots. Either way, Kohli would expect his boys to give in their best considering that the Australians will be arriving soon and they be will be no pushovers.

Squads (From)-India: Virat Kohli (C), KL Rahul, M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, Hardik Pandya, Wrddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Abhinav Mukund; Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (c), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah Riyad, Imrul Kayes, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Sabbir Rahman, Liton Das, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Shafiul Islam.