One of the biggest threats for India in their upcoming Australia trip of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 will be how their batters could tackle the short balls, especially after playing the knee-high deliveries at home for five red-ball games for seven weeks. But, before that, they must come up against another tall Bangladesh pacer.
The first Test, starting at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on September 19, will see India beginning their home Test summer with two games against Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side. Their batters will be up against Nahid Rana, the 6’5 tall pacer from the opponents.
To tackle the bounce in a game, which is expected to take place on a red-soil track, as they keep in mind their five-match away series towards the end of the year, the head coach of the Blue Brigade, Gautam Gambhir, has planned innovatively.
India adds Gurnoor Brar as a net bowler in a four-day camp
One of the pacers who has been called for the four-day camp has been Gurnoor Brar, the 24-year-old right-arm pacer, who has featured in eight innings for the state side in the first-class format, having collected seven wickets at an average of 45.57 and a strike rate of around 12 overs, with a best of 4/16 in an innings.
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His first-class record isn’t flattering, but what has worked for the tall pacer is his height, something which he can use against the batters of India in the nets for them to get used to the bounce and the skiddy pacer. It’s understood that his inclusion has mainly come to mirror Rana’s threat.
Nahid bowled decently for his six wickets in the two Test matches in Pakistan at an average of 39.50 and a strike rate of around eight overs, celebrating a best bowling figure of 4/44. One of the hallmarks of his bowling is the bounce that he generates with the straight line.
The reports have claimed that India has been playing to keep a pace-friendly surface for the Chennai Test, and with the inclusion of two premier pacers, Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, the home side is unlikely to play on rank turners as the surface is expected to be helpful for both the pacers and spinners on an equal basis.
India’s batters will also be up against the attack of Hasan Mahmud who was the third-highest wicket-taker of the Pakistan series with eight scalps in two games at an average of 24.12 and a strike rate of 43.25 with the help of 5/43 in an innings.
The new bowling coach of the runners-ups from the WTC 2021-23 season, Morne Morkel, was seen giving some advice to the bowlers on how to use the conditions as he kept his eyes in the practice session.
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The off-spinner from Mumbai, Himanshu Singh, who is believed to carry the same bowling action as veteran Ravichandran Ashwin, has also been called as the net bowler, along with Tamil Nadu’s Varun Chakaravarthy. The slow left-arm bowler, S Ajit Ram, also sweated it out at the nets to mirror the threat of Shakib Al Hasan during the game.
The left-arm pacer, Yash Dayal, and Akash Deep, both of whom are expected to sit out during the game because of the participation of Siraj and Bumrah, bowled more than the senior pace duo. Bangladesh will be arriving in Chennai on Sunday, as the first red-ball game against India begins on Thursday.