Quick adaptation the key as Indian players switch from T20s to Test match cricket
What
The solitary Test between Bangladesh and India
Where
Khan Saheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah, Bangladesh
When
10-14 June, 2015 | 09:30 IST | 04:00 GMT
The teams
Bangladesh
Bangladesh have proved with their recent performances – in the World Cup and the home series against Pakistan – that they are no more pushovers. But while they have displayed courage in the limited overs formats – they whitewashed Pakistan in three ODIs and a T20I at home – they still have to learn resilience when it comes to the five-day format. The Bangladesh bowlers failed to dismiss Pakistan twice in both Test matches, losing one and hanging on to a draw in the other.
India
Fresh from a short break post the IPL, the Indian players would be itching to get back to the longer forms of international cricket. The transition from T20s to Test is never easy but it has become a part and parcel of a professional cricketer’s life. Having begun their international careers in the era where juggling between formats is a norm, majority of the Indian players should be up for it. And since this is the only Test match of the tour, the adaptation has to be quick.
As for the matter of the playing XI, most of the guys select themselves in what has been a steady batting order since the last year and a half. KL Rahul being ruled out with dengue will give the Indian team management lesser options to ponder upon.
On the bowling front the main decision will be about whether to field the two off-spinners – R Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh – or to throw in some variety with leggie, Karn Sharma.
Key players
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan is the hosts’ most valuable player, owing to his all-round skills and relatively much higher experience of playing against the Indian players. He is coming back from the IPL in India where he encountered most of the opponents he will be up against in this Test match. Shakib and Bangladesh will hope he can regain the form he had leading to the IPL.
India
Murali Vijay has been in rich vein of form in Test cricket since the last year and a half, and he would want to continue that trend. He will be especially eager to get out in the middle after an indifferent IPL. The fact that this is the only Test match in sight for Team India currently, the opening batsman will want to make the most of the outing.
Statistics
Head-to-head
| Played | Played | Ind won | Ban won | Drawn |
| In Bangladesh | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| In India | 0 | |||
| Overall | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
Last meeting between both sides
January 24-27, 2010 at Mirpur, Dhaka
Ban 233 & 312, India 544-8d & 2-0. India won by 10 wickets.
Form guide (most recent listed first)
India: Drawn, Drawn, Lost, Lost, Lost
Bangladesh: Lost, Drawn, Won, Won, Won
Trivia
Only one Test has been played at Fatullah’s Khan Saheb Osman Ali Stadium, that was way back in 2006. Bangladesh surprised everyone by taking a first innings lead of 158 over Australia. A batting collapse in the second innings brought Australia back in to game and they eventually reached the winning target of 307 with just three wickets to spare.
Shakib Al Hasan needs five runs and one wicket to complete the grand double of 2,000 runs and 100 wickets at home soil. Shakib will become only the seventh allrounder in the world to score 2,000 runs and take 100 wickets in a particular country.
Virat Kohli has scored three hundreds in two Tests as captain. Another hundred in this Test will make him the first player in Test history to score four hundreds in first three Tests as captain.
Squads
Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt, wk), Tamim Iqbal, Abul Hasan, Imrul Kayes, Jubair Hossain, Litton Das, Mohammad Shahid, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Shakib Al Hasan, Shuvagata Hom, Soumya Sarkar, Taijul Islam.
India: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron.
Source
