After whitewashing Pakistan 2-0 in their backyard, Bangladesh will take on India in another two-match Test series starting Sep 19. But the the preparation for IND vs BAN Test series had already begun for Najmul Hosain Shanto & Co during the Pakistan tour. Bangladesh are wary of ‘soft’ SG balls that will be used in the Test series. While Bangladesh were up against Kookaburra balls in Pakistan, the players who were not in the Playing XI were practising with SG balls.
Now, Bangladesh players are in a full-fledged Test camp before arriving in Chennai on Sep 15. Batter Litton Das said that the team is aware of the challenge of red SG balls that have earned a bad reputation of late.
“In India, the ball will change. It is a little difficult to play with SG ball. With Kookaburra balls, it is challenging when the ball is new but it gets easier as the ball gets old. But with SG balls, it is easy to play the new ball but when it gets old, it gets very difficult,” Litton Das said on the sidelines of Bangladesh’s Test camp in Dhaka.
Poor track record
In the three Tests Bangladesh have played in India, barring the Pink-ball Test, the Tigers have had a tough time against spin. As the ball gets softer quickly, spinners can grip the ball better and turn it, making it difficult for the batters to play.
Ravichandran Ashwin has been a nemesis for Bangladeshi batters. The off-spinner has taken 11 wickets in 3 matches in India. Overall, in 6 matches, Ashwin has 23 wickets against Bangladesh. Kuldeep Yadav also has a good record against Bangladesh, bagging 16 wickets across all formats in 6 matches. The return of Jasprit Bumrah in India’s Test side will also be challenge for Bangladesh. Bumrah can not only swing the new ball but can extract reverse swing with the old SG ball too. Hence, Bangladesh will have a difficult task at hand.
The demons of SG balls
In recent years, many players including veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have criticised red SG balls. Even Virat Kohli was not happy with the balls either. In 2021, England batters struggled against the red SG balls as they lost without a fight in Ahmedabad. India suffered a defeat too in Chennai.
“The quality of the ball, honestly as well, wasn’t something that we were very pleased to see. Because that’s been an issue in the past as well – just for the ball’s seam to be completely destroyed in 60 overs is not something that you experience as a Test side and something that any Test side could be prepared for,” Virat Kohli said after India’s loss in Chennai.
Come Sep 19, India Cricket Team will once again play in Chennai in the IND vs BAN 1st Test. SG’s marketing director Paras Anand claimed that the Chepauk pitch was responsible for the quick wear and tear of the red cherry.
While the type of surface for IND vs BAN 1st Test remains unclear, it won’t be very different. The pitch is likely to assist spinners. Considering India’s struggle against spin in Sri Lanka and Bangladeshi spinners’ supremacy in Pakistan, Rohit Sharma & Co should be wary too.
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India camp for IND vs BAN Test from Sep 13
Hence, Team India will hold a short Tets camp from September 13 in Chennai. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and other players in the squad will join in. With KL Rahul ahead of selection against Sarfaraz Khan, the Mumbaikar will play the Duleep Trophy instead.
India have already called up Himanshu Singh, a junior off-spinner from Mumbai for Rohit-Virat to prepare.
Against the quality of Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidi Hasan Miraz and Mehidy Hasan, Indian batters will face a lot of challenges as well.
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