​Bangladesh stunned Pakistan in Pakistan. Can the Tigers continue their giant-killing act in India?

Following their first-ever Test series win over Pakistan, Bangladesh are eager to continue their cricketing progress in a two-match Test series against India, beginning on Thursday in Chennai.

The 2-0 victory over Pakistan led to widespread celebrations in Bangladesh, coming after a period of political instability and violent protests that resulted in the removal of the former autocratic leader.

Despite this momentum, the upcoming Test series in India presents a significant challenge. Bangladesh have never defeated India in 13 previous Test encounters, losing 11 and drawing 2, both at home in 2007 and 2015.

Bangladesh players in prime form

Bangladesh have played three Tests in India and lost all, with two losses by an innings. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto recognizes the difficulty of the series but remains optimistic about their chances in India this time.

"This will be a challenging series for us," visiting skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said ahead of the first Test. "But after having a good series against Pakistan, there is an extra confidence in our team, as well as among all the people of the country."

India are clear favorites for the series, but Bangladesh boasts several key players in strong form. Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz are all performing well, with Mushfiqur scoring 216 runs in the series against Pakistan and Mehidy leading the bowling attack with 10 wickets.

Bangladesh’s head coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, believes that India will offer the team its greatest challenge but is confident in Bangladesh’s well-rounded squad.

Nahid Rana gets a hug from Shakib Al Hasan after taking a wicket in second Test in Rawalpindi.AFP

"I think this is probably the most well-rounded team that Bangladesh has produced in my previous time and this time," Hathurusingha said. "We're covering a lot of bases, we've got good fast bowlers, we've got a really experienced spin attack and then the batting, we actually have good depth because of two reasons.

"One is that two of our spinners [Shakib and Mehidy] are genuine batters who got Test hundreds and then two of our wicketkeepers [Litton Das and Mushfiqur] are our main batters. So, our balance of the team in this series is really, really good and that gives us actually a lot more confidence that we can be competitive in this series."

The series also unfolds amid political tensions. Shakib Al Hasan, a former lawmaker, faces legal scrutiny over alleged involvement in a case related to protester deaths. Despite these issues, Shakib’s form continues to be a strength for the team.

"As for Shakib, I am hopeful that he will do well," Najmul said. "He has been in good form with the ball."

Bangladesh introduced a promising new pace bowler, Nahid Rana, who impressed Pakistan with speeds exceeding 146 kph (90 mph). Wicketkeeper Jaker Ali replaces the injured Shoriful Islam, who is out with a groin injury. Shoriful praised Bangladesh’s strong pace attack, noting that support for pacers has helped the team's growth.

“We believe that we can beat India. We did well against Pakistan and have hopes of winning in India as well,” Shoriful told BDcrictime.

“Our pace bowlers are in form and rhythm. Earlier, we had pacers, but did not have backing. Now they have support, and it’s good for Bangladesh cricket,” he added.

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer echoed this, noting Bangladesh’s evolving mindset towards playing on fast, bouncy pitches.

“I feel they [Bangladesh] have changed their mindset. They want to play on bouncy pitches with a bit of a pace even at home. The series they won against Afghanistan was played on fast and bouncy pitches (Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed starred in the victory). And from there I feel there has been a slight shift in mindset that they are not going to win only with spin,” Jaffer was quoted by Hindustan Times.

India warned against complacency

Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar warned India not to underestimate Bangladesh, citing their recent success against Pakistan as evidence of their potential.

"Even a couple of years back, when India toured Bangladesh, they were given a good fight by the Bangladeshis. Now with the series win against Pakistan under their belt, they are primed to take on India too," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.

"Now, every team that plays them knows they can't put their guard down as they could be knocked down as the Pakistanis found out. It will certainly be a series to look forward to," he added.

Rohit Sharma during a press conference in Chennai ahead of first Test against Bangladesh.AFP

Indian captain Rohit Sharma dismissed the notion of taking Bangladesh lightly and promised to give 100% effort in both matches, emphasizing the importance of the World Test Championship standings. He said, "We need to win, and that’s what we’re here for," noting that India is fully prepared for the series.

India’s game plan

For India, Rohit will rely on the spin prowess of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel to challenge Bangladesh’s batting on spin-friendly pitches.

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will lead the pace attack while Mohammed Shami is sidelined due to ankle surgery. The squad also welcomes back wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for the first time since his severe car accident in December 2022. Pant is expected to take over from Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps.

Indian team training in Chennai ahead of first Test against Bangladesh.AFP

India’s ace batter Virat Kohli returns to the Test side after missing the home series against England for the birth of his second child. This series also marks the debut of new head coach Gautam Gambhir in Test cricket.

Following the Chennai Test, the series continues in Kanpur from September 27, with both matches contributing to the World Test Championship standings, where India currently leads ahead of Australia.

Bangladesh hopes to break their losing streak against India, following their recent success against Pakistan, which could be a historic moment for the team and the nation. If they manage to challenge India, it could be a defining achievement for Bangladesh cricket and national pride.