India take on Bangladesh in a short two-match Test series at home starting on Thursday, September 19 in Chennai. India will be playing a Test match for the first time in six months with the focus being on the shortest format with the T20 World Cup scheduled in the time period. But with now Champions Trophy and World Test Championship on the horizon, the T20Is will take a back seat for a little while. It has also been an unusual 41-day break for the Indian men's team and probably a good one with a long Test season ahead.
Bangladesh are coming off a magnificent 2-0 series win in Pakistan. The visitors will be confident and have the momentum but taking on India in India is a different ball game and a beast altogether. Bangladesh have a good Test line-up, much better from the yesteryears but they will have to be at the top of their game to challenge the two-time WTC finalists.
For India, it will be an opportunity for Rishabh Pant to find his feet back in Test cricket after almost two years with Virat Kohli playing the format after more than eight months. The series also marks the first one for the new coach Gautam Gambhir. Hence, there are a few things to look forward to for the fans as well in the two-match series, which is a sort of a dress rehearsal for the New Zealand series and then the big one, the Australia tour.
When and where to watch IND vs BAN Test series on TV and online in India?
The first Test of the two-match series between India and Bangladesh in Chennai begins at 9:30 AM IST on Thursday, September 19 with the start at the same time for all five days till September 23. The IND vs BAN Test series will be live telecast on the Sports18 1, Sports18 1 HD and Sports18 2 channels while the live streaming will be available on the JioCinema app and website for free.
Squads
India: Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sarfaraz Khan, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Dhruv Jurel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal, Akash Deep
Bangladesh: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das(w), Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Khaled Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana
