The conditions are still overcast and India would want it to remain that way for as long as possible. Rohit has a huddle even as the umpires walk out to the middle. Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan will have a tough task.
Deepu digging up some early stats
- The last time India played an unchanged XI in two successive home Tests also happened against Bangladesh in Indore and Kolkata in 2019.
- Also this is the first instance of teams opting to field first in back-to-back Tests in India. The only other series where it happened twice came in the three-match series between India & Sri Lanka in 1997.
Revised playing conditions: First session - 10:30 - 12:30. Lunch 12:30 - 13:10. Second session - 13:10 - 15:10. Tea - 15:10 - 15:30. Third session - 15:30 - 17:30. An extra 30 mins can be added.
Toss stat: The last time India opted to field first in a home Test was in Bengaluru (vs South Africa) in 2015 - the only such instance under Virat Kohli's captaincy run. Only the second instance of a team opting to field first in 24 Tests in Kanpur, the first coming way back in 1964 (vs England).
Two interesting calls from Rohit - to bowl first and to stick to the same XI. You can understand the decision to bowl first because the pitch does look damp and batting won't be easy. But very interesting to see India play three seamers. So Kuldeep will have to wait longer for a home Test.
Teams:
Bangladesh (Playing XI): Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das(w), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed
Two interesting calls from Rohit - to bowl first and to stick to the same XI. You can understand the decision to bowl first because it does look damp
Two interesting calls from Rohit - to bowl first and to stick to the same XI. You can understand the decision to bowl first because the pitch does look damp and batting won't be easy. But very interesting to see India play three seamers. So Kuldeep will have to wait longer for a home Test.
Najmul Hossain Shanto: Happy to bat first
Rohit Sharma: We are going to bowl first. The pitch seems a bit soft, so we have to make early inroads and we want our three seamers to make use of it. We didn't start well with the bat in the first game, but we found a way to score and the bowlers did the job.
India have won the toss and have opted to field
Heads is the call, tails it is!
Toss time!
Morne Morkel: What a wonderful week (As India's bowling coach). Played against India and followed india after my playing days, but was an incredible first week. It's a matter of building experience (into the season), 9 tests is a lot of cricket, to make sure our stock is ready. We have a lot of experience in the change room. (On what he's been doing) To connect with the guys, setting the team goals. Important thing is to make them feel at home. Once you allow them to play freely and learn from their mistakes, it's a great environment.
Kuldeep warming up as Rohit takes a close look at the pitch as Gautam Gambhir looks on