Virat Kohli And...? 3 Indian Players Who Could Fail In Bangladesh Test Series

India will face Bangladesh in a two-match Test series [X]India will face Bangladesh in a two-match Test series [X]

On Sunday, the Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee announced India's sixteen-member squad for the first Test against Bangladesh. Led by Rohit Sharma, India will kickstart their home season with a high-voltage two-match Test series against Bangladesh, with the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium hosting the opening encounter. 

The hosts have named a formidable squad that is an amalgamation of experience and youth. While skipper Rohit is expected to lead India's batting department alongside Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Axar Patel will also play key roles for the home team. 

Meanwhile, several players' rough patches might prove costly for India in this home series. So, as the hosts gear up for the contest, let's analyse and find out which Indian cricketers could fail to live up to the hype. 

Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill might fail in Bangladesh Tests [X]Shubman Gill might fail in Bangladesh Tests [X]

India's hottest batting prospect, Shubman Gill, is expected to play a crucial role for the home team in the Bangladesh series. After Cheteshwar Pujara was snubbed from the Test side, Gill replaced him at number three in India's playing XI. 

However, the stylish right-handed batter was miserable in the recently held Duleep Trophy match between India A and India B. Experienced seamer Navdeep Saini exploited his technical flaws, dismissing him twice in the intense face-off. 

Gill also looked out of sorts against the nip-backers, with his inability to tackle the fourth-stump-line deliveries leading to his debacle. So, given his recent form, the Punjab batter might find it challenging to deal with the Bangladesh pacers, who recently enjoyed stellar success in Pakistan. 

Mohammed Siraj

Once hailed as the next big thing in Indian cricket, Mohammed Siraj experienced an exponential fall in Tests. A lethal customer when in rhythm, Siraj has struggled to strike with the red cherry on home soil, scalping only 13 wickets in 10 matches. He was nothing short of abysmal in the England home series, where he bagged just six wickets in four games. 

So, Siraj's inability to capitalise on the home conditions might result in his failure in the Bangladesh Tests. Additionally, the pitches in Chennai and Kanpur will offer marginal seam movement to the fast bowlers. This could also be a massive reason behind Siraj's underwhelming run in the series. 

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli might not have a great series vs Bangladesh [X]Virat Kohli might not have a great series vs Bangladesh [X]

You might be surprised to see Virat Kohli's name on this list, but the Indian batting great has had his fair share of struggles on turning tracks. There is absolutely no doubt regarding his class, but one thing that goes against Kohli is his recent performance on home soil. 

Since 2021, Kohli has managed only 586 runs at an average of 34.47 in home Tests. He has found it tough to get going against the left-arm off-spinners, averaging just over 25 against them. 

The fact that he is below Axar Patel on the most successful batters' list depicts his recent run-scoring rut on spin-friendly tracks. We expect Bangladesh to be aware of it and challenge the batting great with their rampant spin-bowling duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan.