RARING TO GO

 

THE famous huddle behind closed doors in Chennai kickstarted the new season for the Indian team which is eager to go out and make a solid statement against visiting Bangladesh. Both the teams are scheduled to play a two-Test series, totally mindful of the importance of gathering enough points to stay ahead in the race for finals of the World Test Championship (WTC). India are sitting pretty at the top of the table in the WTC tally but are closely followed by Australia. Bangladesh have catapulted to the fourth place after the remarkable series win in Pakistan. It adds spice to the series where India would seek to jot down names for the all-important tour Down Under. Since the last Test matches against England, India have done well in limited overs cricket. The England series gave India some fine talent but those names are hardly remembered due to the domination of white-ball cricket between the two Test series. Sarfaraz Khan, Shubman Gill, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutta Padikkal were the shining stars against England. Only a few of them have found place in the team for the two-Test series. Of them Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are most-likely starters in the playing XI.

 

They have an opportunity in hand to cement their place while the others need to show great patience and wait for their chance should a senior become unavailable. Fans of red-ball cricket are eagerly waiting for the Bangladesh series for twin reasons. They are keen to see the readiness of the top players in the longest format and also preparation of the benchstrength. The BCCI did really well to schedule the Duleep Trophy ahead the Bangladesh series as it has provided ample opportunities for the established as well as upcoming players named in the Test team to get into the groove. Many have used the Duleep games wisely to iron out their flaws and gain good confidence. It will be needed keeping in mind the extra spring in Bangladesh’s steps after their historic series win in Pakistan.

 

Though there is big difference in the domestic quality and international competition, Indian players will be match-ready to counter the threat of the visitors. India will be hosting Bangladesh and later New Zealand before embarking on a tough tour to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The twin home series must be used as a platform by the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin as they will form the core group of seniors in Australia. Not that the Bangladesh and New Zealand series carry less importance but there is a traditional reason to show supremacy in Australia which the Indian players would definitely be concentrating on. A good show in the home series can give India a booster to land with an air of confidence in the Oz land. It matters a lot given the authority Indians have shown in the last two tours by winning crucial points and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.