The BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is expected to announce the India Test squad for the upcoming series against Bangladesh following the conclusion of the first round of the 2024 Duleep Trophy. The tournament is set to commence in Bengaluru and Anantapur on Thursday. India is scheduled to play two matches against Bangladesh, starting on September 19, marking their first Test series since their victory over England earlier in the year.
The majority of India's regular players, except Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravichandran Ashwin, have been included in the lineup for the domestic red-ball competition. This tournament will play a crucial role in aiding the selectors in finalizing the 15-member squad for the Bangladesh Test series. Notable players such as Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant, Mukesh Kumar, Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, and KS Bharat are expected to showcase their skills during the tournament.
As reported by ESPNCricinfo, the BCCI will unveil the squad for the two-match series following the conclusion of the first round of the Duleep Trophy, which is scheduled to take place from September 5 to 8 in Bengaluru and Anantapur. The selected players will then participate in a training camp in Chennai on September 12 in preparation for the Bangladesh series.
The upcoming Bangladesh Test series will kick off India's extensive Test season as part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25. The series against the Najmul Shanto-led squad, who recently achieved a historic 2-0 sweep against Pakistan, will be played in Chepauk and Kanpur, followed by a three-match T20I series.
In October, India will face New Zealand in three Tests at home before heading to South Africa for five white-ball matches.
Currently, India leads the WTC points table with 68.52 percentage points. If they can maintain their unbeaten record at home in the series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, they have the opportunity to secure their place in the WTC final for the third consecutive time.
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