Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 26 : Rohit Sharma-led India will lock horns against Najmul Hossain Shanto's Bangladesh in the second Test match of the two-game series at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.
In the first Test match in Chennai, India dominated over Bangladesh and clinched a massive 280-run victory over the visitors.
In Test, both India and Bangladesh faced each other 14 times. Out of which, India won 12 games, while Bangladesh failed to claim their single victory against their neighbourhood country. Two Tests have been drawn.
Presently, Ravichandran Ashwin is currently the highest wickettaker in the series, with six dismissals. In the Chennai Test, Ashwin displayed a stupendous performance after he picked up six wickets during Bangladesh's second inning. All eyes will be on the 38-year-old to see what he can do in Kanpur.
Pant made his return to Test cricket in the two-match long-format series against Bangladesh after his life-threatening road accident back in 2022. In the series, the 26-year-old is currently the highest run getter after scoring 148 runs in the Chennai Test.
India will aim to whitewash Bangladesh in two-match Test series after claiming victory in the final game. Meanwhile, Bangladesh will looking for a redemption in the series.
Speaking ahead of the game in the press conference, India's assistant coach Abhishek Nayar said that the selection of Kuldeep Yadav depends on the surface the team will get since the team does not know about it.
"Do not know what surface we are going to be playing on yet. Both the pitches were really good, Kanpur is always known to have good pitches. I am not sure about the bounce yet, but I think the conditions and the forecast will be sort of interesting as to how when we turn up in the morning and how the conditions are. I think a lot will depend on that because in Test cricket, conditions matter a lot and how the pitch plays. It is for us to decide and have a thought process over the conditions. But we are hoping to come in a sunny day and not and overcast Kanpur," Nayar said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe confirmed that star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is "eligible for selection" for the upcoming second Test match against India in Kanpur.
"I haven't heard anything officially or any complaints (about Shakib). There is no doubt about that at the moment. I haven't heard from my physio or from anyone. He's still eligible for selection," Hathurusinghe was quoted in a release from ESPNcricinfo as saying.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.
Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Jaker Ali Anik.