Sports Desk, Bangladesh Global: Bangladesh have won the toss and elected to bowl first in the first of the two-match Test series against hosts India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai today.
Speaking during the toss, Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said that he would "like to use the moisture" present on the wicket, with India skipper Rohit Sharma mentioning that he would have even bowled first in such overcast conditions.
Like they did against Pakistan, Bangladesh have gone with three pacers -- Nahid Rana, Taskin Ahmed, and Hasan Mahmud -- and two all-rounders -- Shakib Al Hasan and Mehedi Hasan Miraz -- in their eleven for the game today.
Bangladesh come fresh from their historic Test series victory over hosts Pakistan this month. The Tigers will be well aware that they have a much steeper task at hand against India but will still be fancying their chances of creating more history in the longer format, owing to their recent form in the longest format of the game.
The heat had been searing over the past couple of days in Chennai but things changed in the morning today. Overcast conditions can dampen proceedings if rain swoops in. Bangladesh players took part in light warm-up and catching sessions before a few of the players gathered around to look at the wicket. Coach Chandika Hathurusingha and the rest of the coaching staff took a look at the wickets along with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto earlier in the morning. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan also took part in a net session with batting coach David Hemp at around 8:30 am in the morning.
In the past 17 months, Bangladesh have registered victories in five of their eight Tests -- including a home Test win over New Zealand and two away victories over Pakistan, propelling them to fourth in the WTC standings.
However, India remain the only one of two sides the Tigers have not yet beaten in the longer format, with South Africa being the other one. Facing India in 13 Tests, Bangladesh lost in 11 of them while the two draws saw rain play a significant role in determining the outcome.
India also boast a scintillating record at home. The last time India lost a Test series at home was 12 years back when they fell 2-1 in a four-match series against England in 2012. Since then, India have won a record 17 successive home Test series, having lost only four of the 51 Tests played on home soil.
PLAYING XIs:
Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das(w), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana
India: Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj.
Bangladesh Global/JS
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