India's Predicted Playing 11 for 1st Test vs Bangladesh: Rohit to follow Kohli's formula from last Test in Chennai?

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India's Predicted Playing 11 for 1st Test vs Bangladesh: The last time India played a Test match in Chennai, Virat Kohli was the all-format captain of India. Considering the spin-friendly conditions at MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk), he went forward with three spinners and two pacers.

The same formula was used in the first Test of the four-match series. The first Test saw India field three spinners in - local boy Ravichandran Ashwin, Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar. Nadeem's inclusion came just ahead of the match owing to Axar Patel's knee injury. Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the entire series due to a thumb to a dislocated left thumb.

Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah were the only two pacers in the third Test. The bowling combination (3 spinners, and 2 pacers) remained the same for the second Test at the same venue, but the players were changed. Mohammed Siraj came in place of Bumrah, and Ashwin was joined by Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.

India's Predicted Playing 11 for 1st Test vs Bangladesh: Who will be three spinners?

Three years later India will be playing a Test match under Rohit Sharma, and the same recipe should be the same. Only 19 overs of pace bowling was done by India in the last Test they played here. Spinners rolled their arms to bowl 100.1 overs, picking 18 of the 20 wickets.

India's greatest spinner Ashwin has a place reserved for himself, and there will be a toss up between Jadeja, Axar and Kuldeep for the next three spots. Jadeja has been Ashwin's long-term spin partner, and despite not being in action since the T20 World Cup 2024, the left-arm spinner is expected to come straight into the India playing eleven.

India's spin combination in last home Test

In the last home Test, also India's last match in the format, India played with Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep in Dharamsala. Jadeja missed only one of the five Tests, and that too because of a hamstring injury. Kuldeep got four games, while Axar 2. Veteran off-spinner featured in all the five Tests.

Axar Patel's Duleep Trophy

Gujarat all-rounder had an impressive outing in the Duleep Trophy 2024 first-round match. He first scored 86 off 118 balls to lift India D from 76/8 to 164. He also picked the wickets of Aryan Juyal, and Rajat Patidar. In the second innings, he chipped in 28 off 59, and picked the wicket of Hrithik Shokeen.

Kuldeep Yadav bowled 24 overs in Duleep Trophy 2024 first round match for India A and picked just one wicket. In the second innings, the left-arm spinner leaked 26 runs in just three overs.

Axar Patel likely to pip Kuldeep Yadav for 1st Test

India will be playing a Test match after a long time, and would want to have depth in their batting against quality Bangladesh spinners. This puts both Axar Patel and Rabindra Jadeja ahead of Kuldeep Yadav, who was mighty impressive with 19 wickets in four matches against England earlier this year.

Bumrah and Siraj likely of form pace duo

Neither Jasprit Bumrah nor Mohammed Siraj played in the first game of Duleep Trophy, but we can expect both of them to start for India in the series. Bumrah is a hundred percent, but in case India decides to bench Siraj, Akash Deep will have a great chance.

KL Rahul, Pant set for Test comeback

Also, the batting unit picks itself after the return of KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel would be making way for the duo. The top three of Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill will be followed by Virat Kohli at four.

India's Predicted Playing 11 for 1st Test vs Bangladesh: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj/Akash Deep