Picking Bangladesh's best playing XI ahead of IND vs BAN Tests 2024 ft. Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan

India take on Bangladesh in the first Test of the two-match bilateral series being played between the two teams at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, starting on Thursday, September 19.

The second Test of this series will be played at Green Park in Kanpur, one of the oldest venues for this format in the country. Bangladesh come into this series on the back of their 2-0 whitewash of Pakistan in Pakistan.

India, therefore, will not take the Tigers lightly and will try to make sure that all their bases are covered. Bangladesh pose a real threat to the hosts, and winning even one out of these two Tests can act as a major morale-booster for them.

As a fun exercise with about a week to go for the series to begin, we decided to take a look at the best playing XI that Bangladesh can pick keeping in mind the conditions that they have to encounter.

Top-order batters

Najmul Hossain Shanto of Bangladesh looks on during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023.

Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan and Najmul Hasan Shanto should make up the top order of Bangladesh in the series against India. All three batters are in good nick coming into this series and will be keen on making it count.

Shadman came of age in the recent series against Pakistan, while Hasan has always been knocking on the doors of selection with his consistent performances. Skipper Shanto, meanwhile, is a batter that Bangladesh can always rely upon.

The latter is a good player of spin and knows how to execute the sweep. His experience as well as expertise will come in handy to steer the Bangladeshi ship whenever it seems like they are losing control against the might of the Indians.

Middle order and wicketkeeper

Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das will make up the middle order of this Bangladesh side when they play against India, with the latter donning the big gloves behind the stumps as well.

Haque is an excellent player of spin, and his skills will be needed by the visitors to counter the threat posed by the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The first Test in Chennai is bound to provide a turning surface.

The experience that Rahim and Shakib have will help Bangladesh counter the challenges put across by the Indians, while wicketkeeper-batter Das is in the form of his life, scoring 56 and 138 in the two innings he played in Pakistan.

Bowlers

Mehidy Hasan of Bangladesh celebrates the wicket of Shubman Gill of India during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, and Hasan Mahmud are the four bowlers that the Bangladeshi management ought to back against India. They may have to leave the in-form Nahid Rana out to make way for Taijul.

The first Test in Chennai is bound to be on a rank turning surface, and Bangladesh will need three spinners to counter the Indian threat. Miraz, Taijul and Shakib can do the job well for Bangladesh in this department.

Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud are likely going to be the two seamers that the Tigers pick in the playing XI, although Nahid Rana is expected to be given a go when either of these two is rested.