After the conclusion of the 20-20 World Cup 2022, the focus now shifts to Test Cricket as India travel to Bangladesh for three ODIs and two Tests. The two games hold tremendous importance for India to qualify for the finals of the World Test Championship in 2023.
India are currently ranked at the fourth position in the points table having a points percentage of 52.08 with six wins, four losses and two draws. Including the Bangladesh series, India have 6 Tests left in the current cycle.
If India manage to win all of their last six matches, they will end up with a points percentage of 68.05 which will prove to be enough for them to seal a spot in the final next year.
India face tough competition from Australia and South Africa who are ranked at no 1 and 2 respectively in the points table. While Australia have a points percentage of 70 with 6 wins 1 loss and three draws, South Africa have a points percentage of 60 with 6 wins and four losses.
Australia have nine more Tests in the current cycle, two against West Indies and three against South Africa at home and four away Tests against India. On the other hand, South Africa have five more Tests to play- three away Tests against Australia and two home Tests against West Indies.
India need to beat Bangladesh by 2-0
India have their task sorted out, they need to beat Bangladesh by 2-0 and can’t afford to lose more than one Test against Australia at home no matter who wins the Australia vs South Africa Test series.
India will play two Tests against Bangladesh starting from December 14. The first Test will be played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram while the second Test will be played at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka.
Before three Tests India will play three ODIs starting from 4th December. The first two ODIs will be played in Dhaka while the third ODI will be played in Chattogram.
India squad for ODIs: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Shreyas Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ishan Kishan (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Sen
India squad for Tests: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, KS Bharat (wk), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Axar Patel, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav
