Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 14 (ANI): Team India has officially kicked off their practice sessions ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh, set to begin on September 19 at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This eagerly anticipated two-match Test series will see its second installment commence on September 27 in Kanpur.

In what marks his debut Test assignment as head coach, Gautam Gambhir is laser-focused on clinching a series victory. The practice session was a star-studded affair, featuring a formidable line-up of players. The spin quartet included Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav. On the pace front, Jasprit Bumrah was in attendance, while the batting brigade was led by captain Rohit Sharma, alongside stalwarts like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) offered fans a glimpse into the rigorous practice session via their official X handle. They tweeted, “Preps in full swing here in Chennai! Inching closer to the #INDvBAN Test opener #TeamIndia | @IDFCFIRSTBank.”

Rohit Sharma will continue to don the captain’s hat for the Test side. New faces in the squad include pacers Akash Deep and Yash Dayal, both of whom have received their maiden call-ups. Rishabh Pant’s return to Test cricket is especially noteworthy, marking his first appearance since a life-threatening accident in December 2022.

Virat Kohli is also making a comeback to the Test arena for the first time since India’s tour of South Africa in January this year. Kohli had missed India’s home Test series against England due to the birth of his son, Akaay. Since then, he has faced a challenging period, with an underwhelming T20 World Cup and a tough tour of Sri Lanka. During the T20 World Cup, he managed to score 151 runs in eight matches at an average of 18.87. In the ODI series against Sri Lanka, he could only muster 58 runs in three matches at an average of 19.33.

KL Rahul is another key player returning to the Test squad after being sidelined due to injury during most of the England series. The team will also benefit from the presence of Jasprit Bumrah, who has been hailed as a “national treasure.” Bumrah is returning to the squad for the first time since his match-winning performance in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa earlier this year.

The spin quartet—Ashwin, Jadeja, Axar, and Kuldeep—are expected to make significant contributions with both bat and ball. India’s pace attack will be spearheaded by Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Yash Dayal. Akash Deep has earned his place following an impressive performance in the Duleep Trophy.

Following the series against Bangladesh, Rohit Sharma’s team will gear up for New Zealand’s tour of India for three Tests starting October 16. This will be followed by the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia from November 22.

India’s squad for the 1st Test against Bangladesh includes: 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, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal. (ANI)