Find out all you need to know about the clash between the sides in Kolkata
India host Bangladesh in the second match of their two-match Test series as the hosts look to maintain their undefeated record in the World Test Championship. The game, which is set to be the first pink-ball Test held in India, begins on November 22 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
SECOND TEST: Eden Gardens, Kolkata (Friday, November 22 to Tuesday, November 26, 1pm local time, 7.30am GMT)
India will be looking to maintain their undefeated 2019 in the five-day game, with a rainy draw against Australia in January their only non-victory of the calendar year so far. They maintained their winning run by dominating the first Test against Bangladesh, with Mayank Agarwal making 243 in an innings victory.
Virat Kohli's side appears to be going from strength to strength in the Test arena, with last month's visit of South Africa culminating in hefty innings victories at Pune and Ranchi, highlighted by Rohit Sharma striking 529 runs across his four knocks to cement himself at the top of the order.
India’s seam attack continued to impress in the first Test at Indore; Mohammed Shami took seven wickets, Umesh Yadav four and Ishant Sharma three as Bangladesh were bundled out twice after winning the toss and opting to bat.
India's squad for the second Test is identical to the pack that won so easily in the first Test and, indeed, the same as that which triumphed 3-0 against South Africa last month. Shahbaz Nadeem, who made his Test debut as an injury replacement for Kuldeep Yadav in the final Test against South Africa, is the only recent participant to miss out.
Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are again absent after picking up back injuries, however India's hopes of Bumrah returning for February's tour of New Zealand have been boosted by the news that he will not require surgery on what was initially feared to be a stress fracture.
Agarwal, who is averaging 71.50 after 12 Test innings, has nailed down his spot at the top of the order alongside Rohit Sharma, who secured his place with a phenomenal series against the Proteas.
Squad: Virat Kohli (c), Mayank Agarwal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddiman Saha (wk), Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Hanuma Vihari, Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav
With Dafabet, punters can currently get odds of 1/12 on India to win the second Test, making them clear favourites, with Bangladesh outsiders at 18/1.
Bangladesh are yet to open their World Test Championship account. The hammering they took at Indore added to a home defeat against Afghanistan in September.
South Africa coach Russell Domingo has lost both Tests since he was announced as their new boss, and it can only be described as an unceremonious start to his tenure: 11 wickets from Rashid Khan and Rahmat Shah scoring his country's maiden Test century led Afghanistan to a historic 224-run win, before off-field matters also took a turn for the worst.
The below-par showing that followed against India was the effort of a team in disarray and learning to cope without its key player, Shakib Al Hasan.
He will be out of action for some time after the ICC announced that the captain had pled guilty to several breaches of their anti-corruption code, with the punishment for failing to report a series of approaches from a bookmaker earning him a two-year ban from all forms of the game. That itself followed the threat of a player boycott of the India tour in protest against the state of the game in their country.
Mominul Haque was handed the captaincy in the wake of Shakib's absence. His leadership began as well as could have been hoped, winning the toss and opting to bat at Indore, only for his batsmen to fail to impose themselves on India’s impressive bowling attack.
Imrul Kayes and Shadman Islam both struggled at the top of the order, but will likely keep their places, with 21-year-old batsman Saif Hassan, who might have replaced one of the forlorn openers, ruled out due to a split webbing on his hand.
Only Mushfiqur Rahim passed fifty in the first Test – a problem that will need urgent addressing if the tourists are to stand a chance under the Kolkata lights.
Squad: Mominul Haque (c), Liton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan, Nayeem Hasan, Saif Hassan, Al-Amin Hossain, Ebadot Hossain, Mossadek Hossain, Shadman Islam, Taijul Islam, Abu Jayed, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman
The forecast for Kolkata is pleasant, with temperatures around the 29-degree mark with bright sunshine throughout.
UK viewers will be able to catch the series live on Star Gold (Sky 717, Virgin Media 801, TalkTalk 551) or stream it online via Hotstar.
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