Rohit, Kohli target runs as India takes on Bangladesh in second Test

KANPUR: India would want its big guns Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to fire when the mighty host aims for a clean sweep against a beleaguered Bangladesh in the second and final Test starting here on Friday.

The all-round show of Ravichandran Ashwin, Shubman Gill’s sublime hundred, Ravindra Jadeja’s quality batting and Rishabh Pant’s roaring comeback allowed India to script a comfortable victory in Chennai despite being put under pressure by the Bangladesh pacers on day one.

The way India bounced back in the game reaffirmed its supremacy in Test cricket, especially at home where it is on course for a record extending 18th consecutive series win.

Having made a successful return in white-ball cricket, it was time for Pant to show that it is the Test arena where he can make the maximum impact.

It seems he has even added one more dimension to his game: curbing his aggressive instinct if the situation demands, making him even more dangerous.

However, both Rohit and Virat’s bats remained silent in the series-opener as Bangladesh pacers -- Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed -- bowled probing lines on a supportive track and were rewarded.

With a long Test season ahead of them, the two premier batters must be itching to get back among the runs.

Playing his first Test at home since March 2023, Kohli did not look at his sharpest and one can trust him to not go for expansive cover drives at the start of his innings.

The Green Park wicket has traditionally been a low and slow track that assists spinners. While it is expected to offer some assistance to the fast bowlers initially, the basic nature of the pitch, prepared with black soil brought from Unnao, is not expected to change much.

The wicket will become slower as the game progresses. It means, India can field three spinners instead of three pacers. If that is indeed the case, Akash Deep could make way for Kuldeep Yadav.

If India thinks it needs more cushion with the bat, then Axar Patel might just pip home hero Kuldeep, who has performed exceptionally over the last 18 months.

In the last Test played at Green Park in 2021, India had fielded three spinners -- Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar -- in a game that ended in a thrilling draw with New Zealand.

Interestingly, the 2021 contest and the one before that in 2016 (also against New Zealand) lasted five days.

On the other hand, Bangladesh, which failed to apply itself with the bat in the series opener, is expected to make changes to its playing eleven. It struggled against a high-quality Indian pace attack in its first essay in Chennai and then could not handle Ashwin and Co while chasing an improbable target.

Bangladesh can bring left-arm spinner Taijul Islam in place of lanky pacer Nahid Rana. It also has an option in off-spinner Nayeem Hasan.