India is returning to action after over a month without cricket. Captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged, "It’s been a while since we last played," and pointed out the importance of managing their players, especially fast bowlers, during the hectic months ahead.
India begins a stretch of 10 Tests in 15 weeks against Bangladesh on Thursday. The team has already devised strategies to manage the workloads of key players like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who are crucial for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia from November to January.
Rohit explained that plans are in place to monitor the bowlers' workloads throughout the series. He noted that during previous series, such as against England, they rested Bumrah and Siraj when needed. The decision to give players breaks will depend on the assessments made by the strength and conditioning team and physios at the appropriate times.
India wraps up their two-Test series against Bangladesh on October 1, after which they will face New Zealand in a three-match series leading into early November. Following that, India will head to Australia for five Tests in eight weeks.
Rohit acknowledged that while the team would like their best players to play every match, the packed schedule, including T20 games against Bangladesh and South Africa between Test matches, makes it impossible. Therefore, the team will make decisions that balance player management with the needs of the squad.
To ensure depth in their fast-bowling department, India has added left-armer Yash Dayal to the squad for the Bangladesh series. Several other promising bowlers, including Harshit Rana, Navdeep Saini, Vidwath Kaverappa, Khaleel Ahmed, and Anshul Kamboj, have shown potential in domestic cricket. Rohit expressed confidence in these bowlers, highlighting their performances in the Duleep Trophy.
This series marks the first time Gautam Gambhir will lead the Test team as India’s head coach, having previously overseen the limited-overs side in Sri Lanka. Rohit noted that he knows both Gambhir and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar well, while bowling coach Morne Morkel and assistant Ryan ten Doeschate are new faces. Rohit said he had positive experiences working with them in Sri Lanka and believes they bring a fresh approach to the team, which differs from the previous coaching staff under Rahul Dravid.
As for the home series, Rohit dismissed the idea of using it as preparation for challenges abroad, emphasising the importance of winning every game. With the World Test Championship standings still open, he said each match is crucial, regardless of future tours.
India’s team assembled in Chennai a week before the Bangladesh series to ensure proper preparation. Rohit mentioned that players had spent significant time on the field during training, and those who hadn’t played much Test cricket participated in the Duleep Trophy to stay match-ready. Overall, he expressed confidence in the team’s readiness for the upcoming challenges.
Rohit concluded, "We’ve had a good camp in Chennai, and I believe we’re well-prepared for this Test match and what lies ahead."