Team India started their pre-season camp on Saturday (September 14), less than a week before the India vs Bangladesh Test series opener at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai. Also, the possible pitch character has been revealed for the India vs Bangladesh Test series opener. 

Former South African fast bowler Morne Morkel just joined the Indian team as a new bowling coach. 

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India are getting ready for the crucial 10 Tests

The Indian pre-season camp isn’t only focussing on the upcoming home two-match Test series against Bangladesh; it is also looking at the next two Test series. After Bangladesh complete their India tour with another three-match T20I series, New Zealand will return to India for a three-match Test series.

In November, India will tour Australia for a five-match Test series. All these upcoming ten Test matches for India will be part of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship. The first two-time runners-up India are leading the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship points table. 

Chepauk is likely to offer a red-soil pitch

MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, will host the first Test of India vs Bangladesh starting on September 19. While spinners have great records at this Test venue, India is likely to offer a red-soil pitch for the upcoming Test series opener. The pitch has good grass cover at present to prevent the pitch from breaking.

Bangladesh generally uses the black-soil pitches at home, which are typically slow wickets. While spinners also dominate these pitches, the uneven bounces create difficulties for the new and unsettled batters.  

On the other hand, batters can enjoy the initial phase on the red-soil pitches before its break up. With time progress, the soil comes off and cracks open up, which leads the spinners to enjoy dominating.  

Chepauk last hosted a Test match in February 2021, where India beat England by 317 runs. Ravichandran Ashwin won the Player of the Match in that Test after taking eight wickets (5/43 and 3/53), including a fifer, and scoring a crucial century (106) in the third innings of the match. Opener Rohit Sharma also scored a century in the first innings of that match, while Axar Patel recorded his first Test five-wicket haul in the fourth innings (5/60).