India’s home season is all set to begin once again with red-ball cricket, following their triumph against England earlier this year, where India thoroughly dominated the series, especially after the first game, and won by a 4-1 margin. Now, all eyes are on another triumph in Test cricket with the WTC final in mind. India will soon play Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, with games scheduled in Chennai and Kanpur. Also, they will face Bangladesh in three T20Is.
The Bangladesh Tigers, currently riding high after their first-ever Test series victory against Pakistan, won’t be taken lightly by India. Many important changes are expected, with Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant set to return. However, a few key players might be missing, and believe it or not, those are big names. Here are the top players who we may miss in the India vs Bangladesh Test series.
Players who may not play in India vs Bangladesh Test series
Jasprit Bumrah
The biggest name we are likely to miss is Jasprit Bumrah. There is a strong chance that we may not see this superstar in the series. Bumrah, who has been on a break since India’s T20 World Cup victory, where he emerged as a standout performer with his bowling, was not part of the team that traveled to Sri Lanka in August. It is probable that he will not feature in this series either.
The possible reason could be the Men in Blue upcoming hectic schedule. After the Bangladesh series, India will play New Zealand at home and then travel to South Africa for a four-match T20I series. Not to forget, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is coming, where Bumrah’s presence will be of paramount importance.
Mohammed Shami
Another experienced name we may miss is Mohammed Shami. The ace pacer played the entire 2023 ICC ODI World Cup with a right heel injury and then underwent surgery, which has kept him out of the team since. Shami missed several crucial international games, including the South Africa tour earlier this year, the home series against England, and the 2024 T20 World Cup. Now, there is a chance he may not play in this series either, although we can expect him back on track for the New Zealand series, scheduled after the Bangladesh series.
However, nothing is confirmed yet. Shami, who last played a Test match in June 2023 in the WTC final against Australia, will be keen to return in whites. It will be interesting to see how things unfold for him, as there are questions about his fitness. However, there is no question that, like Bumrah, he is also a key bowler for the Indian camp.
Shreyas Iyer
Apart from the two bowlers, one major name we may miss in batting is Shreyas Iyer, whose recent performances could be the reason he may not play in the India vs Bangladesh Test series. Iyer has been going through a lean patch in Test cricket, with his last 10 innings for India not showing much promise. In the ongoing Duleep Trophy, he scored just 9 runs in the first innings for India D against India C but managed a decent 54 runs in the second innings. However, given the need for consistency, he has been failing to deliver. Also, there is a chance that KL Rahul, who is also competing for a spot as a batter in the Test squad, may get the opportunity instead.
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