As the India-Bangladesh series starts today, one of the main subplots that I am keen on is how the Indians tackle quality spin. India’s record against the turning ball in recent times isn’t great, and the Sri Lanka series in July was evidence that most of our leading batters struggle against quality spin. Unlike in the past when spin wasn’t an issue for the Indians, things have changed in recent times, and we have seen opposition spinners win Test matches in India. Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe and Tom Hartley have all done well for their teams on Indian soil, and that’s where the Bangladesh spinners assume relevance.
The variety in the Bangladesh spin attack will ensure that India don’t go with rank turners, for that could backfire and level the playing field in the series. Rather, a good batting deck where bowlers will be made to bring all their skills into play is what India will want to dish out, for that’s where the quality of the two sides will come to the fore.
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A new red-ball era begins for the Indian team. Head coach Gautam Gambhir speaks about adopting a winning style. Bangladesh, meanwhile, are aware of the degree of difficulty.@shamik100✍️#INDVSBAN https://t.co/BIJCZk11Gx
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) September 18, 2024
One of the batters who I will have an eye on is Shubman Gill. For the longest time, Gill has been touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket. And now, as vice-captain in the white-ball formats, it is clear India is looking at Gill to play a strong leadership role in the future. For Gill, this is a key series. His ability against spin has been questioned for some time now, and it is essential for him to deliver and silence the critics. That he has the ability is known, and he showed it in spades against England earlier this year. But does he have the temperament to buckle down against the variety that Bangladesh will offer?
The second player I will keep close watch on is Rishabh Pant. I have always believed Pant is a better red-ball player, and he could yet again make a huge difference for India in Australia in the forthcoming five-Test series Down Under. But what we need to see is how Pant deals with the rigours of the red-ball format. While he has made a successful return to white-ball cricket, the red ball is profoundly different. And that’s where India will want to see him have the same impact that he had before the accident.
With the outcome of the Pakistan-Bangladesh series impacting the World Test Championship (WTC) standings to an extent, India will want to win the series 2-0 and take a step ahead to making their third consecutive final. A series win against Bangladesh and another against New Zealand would mean that India do not have to await the outcome of the series away in Australia to make the WTC final. A win percentile of over 60 should be enough to seal one of the top two spots.
Finally, after a glut of white-ball cricket featuring India, watching attritional Test cricket will be a welcome change. Maiden overs, which bring to the fore the skills of the batters against quality spin, are something I am much looking forward to watching over the next five days. And that’s where Bangladesh are much better than England or any other visiting team, making this a really interesting series to look forward to.
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