After a long 45-day hiatus, the Indian cricket team is all set to return to action next week when they take on Bangladesh in the first Test of a two-match series in Chennai. Ahead of the start of the series, the Rohit Sharma-led team assembled in Chennai on Friday, with head coach Gautam Gambhir conducting a training session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The series will be Gambhir’s first Test assignment since he took over as head coach from Rahul Dravid in July. Since making their Test debut in 1932, India have participated in 579 matches. While they have won and lost 178 games each, a total of 222 matches have witnessed a draw.
If India beats Bangladesh in Chennai, the Rohit Sharma-led side will achieve a momentous feat. India will have 179 wins if they beat Bangladesh, meaning Rohit and his men will surpass the number of losses in India's Test cricket history for the first time since 1932.
In Dravid's last series as head coach, India thrashed England 4-1 earlier this year. Star batsman Virat Kohli missed the series due to the birth of his son Akaay.
There are vital World Test Championship (WTC) points at stake in the two-match series as India prepare for a gruelling 10-match Test season, which also includes a three-Test home series against New Zealand and the five-match Border-Gavaskar series later this year in Australia.
India currently leads the table with 68.52 percentage points, while Australia is in second place with 62.50 percentage points.
Bangladesh have jumped to fourth place with 45.83 percentage points following their 10-wicket win over Pakistan in the opening Test and their incredible comeback in the second Test where wicketkeeper-batsman Litton Das scored a century to single-handedly guide the team to a series sweep.
The second Test of the series will be played at the Green Park in Kanpur from September 27.
Indian team to take part in first test against Bangladesh: 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, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah and Yash Dayal
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