In an era where Team India plays so much cricket, it feels like it has been a long time since we last saw them in action. That’s because the Indian team have not played an international match since August 7, 2024, when they faced Sri Lanka in an ODI. The wait for a Test match has been even longer; India’s last Test was part of a 5-match series against England earlier this year.

Now, India is gearing up for a packed Test season, with 10 Test matches lined up between now and January 2025. The action kicks off with a 2-match Test series against Bangladesh at home. After that, India will face Bangladesh in a 3-match T20I series before hosting New Zealand for a 3-match Test series. We end the year with the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which will start in November. This will be the first time India will play a 5-match Test series against Australia since 1991-92.

As for the India-Bangladesh series, it promises to be an exciting one. Bangladesh are coming off a historic Test series win against Pakistan, where they whitewashed them 2-0 in Pakistan. This victory will surely boost their confidence. However, Bangladesh have never beaten India in a Test match, and they will be eager to change that.

India, on the other hand, have been in fantastic form in Test cricket. Earlier this year, they defeated England 4-1 and currently sit at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. So far in this WTC cycle, India have played nine matches, winning six and losing only two. They are in a strong position to reach their third consecutive WTC Final.

India’s squad for the Bangladesh series looks promising. Rohit Sharma will lead the side, and Virat Kohli is back after missing the England series. This will be Kohli’s first Test since January 2024, when India played South Africa. Jasprit Bumrah also returns for the first time after helping India win the T20 World Cup in June.

The top order seems solid with Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal set to open the innings, while Shubman Gill will bat at number three. Jaiswal has been in outstanding form, scoring 712 runs in five matches against England, including two double centuries. Gill also had a great series, scoring 452 runs at an average of 56.50, with two centuries. Sarfaraz Khan has kept his place in the squad after a strong start to his Test career, and KL Rahul makes his return. Fans will be excited to see Rishabh Pant back in the Test team as the wicketkeeper after a long-awaited comeback to Test cricket.

India’s bowling attack will feature the return of Jasprit Bumrah, who last played for India in June. He will be joined by Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Yash Dayal, the left-arm pacer who has been selected for the first time in India’s squad. In the spin department, India have Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja. Overall, the squad looks balanced with a mix of experience and young talent.

This series will also mark Gautam Gambhir’s first Test assignment as India’s coach, and we are eager to see how the team performs under his guidance during this intense Test season. Exciting times ahead!