Intriguing battle on the cards as India face upbeat Banglades

CHENNAI: It's India versus Bangladesh. Two sub-continent sides set to test each other's mettle with the first of the two-Test series set to commence at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Thursday. The meeting has all the ingredients to be a compelling contest.

Bangladesh are fresh from a Test series victory over Pakistan in Pakistan while India enter the game on the backdrop of a forgetful ODI series in Sri Lanka. The Indian batters, including the likes of Virat Kohli, toiled against Sri Lankan spinners and lost the ODI series then. That was a massive upset for the World T20 champions.

Ahead of India's latest challenge, there are several storylines as to how things might unfold. Many believe that the two-Test series could be a battle between India's batting and Bangladesh's spin. India head coach Gautam Gambhir is backing his batters to step up during the series.

"Our batting unit has so much quality that it can take on any spin unit. There is a lot of difference between ODIs and Tests. It's all about the mindset and working and strengthening your defence and once you have it, then you play around it," said Gambhir.

Having said that, Gambhir is also mindful of the threat that Bangladesh pose and said that his wards won't take things lightly.

"We respect everyone. We don't take any opposition lightly. We are going to go out there and play the brand of cricket that we want to play because that is what champions do. They don't look at the opposition. Congratulations Bangladesh for what they've done against Pakistan. But it's a new start, it's a new series, it's a new opposition as well for them," assessed Gambhir.

"They have a very good bowling attack. Shakib (Al Hasan) has got the experience. Mehidy (Hasan Miraz) is there as well. So, we know that there is talent in Bangladesh. The important thing is that we need to be switched on from ball one," he added.

Gambhir also hinted at the return of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul in place of Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan respectively. India's 2011 World Cup-winning player also expects R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to play a crucial role. He also lauded Jasprit Bumrah for being the one of the finest fast bowlers in the world.

Assuming Rahul and Pant are back, India's batting order looks solid on paper with Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli also in the picture. The only thing that India seem to be missing is a fast-bowling all-rounder. However, Gambhir is relying on the spin-bowling all-rounders to do the job.

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is aware of the riches that India has and is expecting a tough series. Nevertheless, his team is looking forward to the challenge. "We are encouraged by playing against the best team in the world and coming to India, and playing against them is the best challenge you get nowadays. Playing against the best always gives you the perception of where you stand, and as sportspersons, we always look forward to it," said Hathurusingha.

Following their Test series win over Pakistan, Hathurusingha's men are naturally high on confidence and eager to put up a strong show. "It (win against Pakistan) has certainly given us a lot of confidence coming into this series. Keeping the outcome aside, the way we played the series and we handled certain situations, like lagging and coming back and the people who contributed to it -- all give us a lot of belief for this series (India). Pressure (of playing against India) is a privilege. We understand where we stand, along with our strengths and limitations," noted Hathurusingha.

The coach is satisfied with the blend of youth and experience in his side. "This is probably the most-rounded team produced by Bangladesh. We have covered a lot of bases and have got a lot of fast bowlers. We also have an experienced spin attack, besides also having a great depth in our batting. Also, two of our spinners are genuine batters with Test hundreds. It all gives a great balance to our side," said the 56-year-old coach.

Team captain Najmul Hossain Shanto also echoed similar sentiments. Having assessed the track closely, Hathurusingha is expecting a sporting wicket. "It (pitch) looks like a sporting wicket at this stage. But, judging by the sub-continent conditions, it can change right from Day 1. Not sure when it is going to start turning though," he said.