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NEW DELHI: Batting coach Vikram Rathour reckons the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh provides the Indian batters the perfect preparation for the high-profile Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at home.
India thrashed Bangladesh by 188 runs in the first Test on a rank turner in Chattogram to lead the two-match series 1-0 and the Indian pitches are also expected to provide support to spinners.
India’s next assignment in Test cricket will be against World Test Championships topper Australia. The four-match series to begin in Nagpur on February 9.
“You expect wickets to turn in the sub-continent, and after this we will be playing an important series against Australia where wickets are expected to turn,” Rathour said on the eve of the second and final Test here.
“So it’s good practice for us. It will be good preparation for Indian batters. We are not discussing anything tactically but looking forward to playing good cricket.”
The Indian batters came good in the opening Test with young opener Shubman Gill cracking his maiden century in the longest format and veteran Cheteshwar Pujara scoring a 130-ball 102 not out in the second innings, his 19th Test century after almost 4 years.
Stand-in skipper KL Rahul, however, found the going tough as he was dismissed for 22 and 23, while Virat Kohli was removed by left-arm spinner Taijul Islam with a beauty in the first innings in Chattogram. The former India captain was unbeaten on 19 in the second essay.
Rathour, who had a long session with Rahul and Kohli hoped the two batters will come good in the second Test.
Asked what was he discussing with Rahul, the batting coach said: “I’m not going to get into those discussions, these discussions keep happening, a few things he was looking at and there’s nothing to be concerned about. He was just working on something.
“We are looking forward to both of them scoring runs. Hoping to see big innings from both of them from this match.”
Kohli has recently ended his long wait for an international century, first getting to the mark in the T20Is against Afghanistan and then in the ODIs against Bangladesh.
Kohli is now due for a Test century which he last scored against Bangladesh in their first Day/Night Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2019.
‘Wicket to offer more bounce and turn’
Asked about the wicket, Rathour said: “We’re expecting this one to have a bit more bounce and turn than the previous one. We look to play according to the situation.
“We are fine whatever wicket we get. We have absolutely no issues from our side. However it plays, we have to put up as many runs as we can and put up a good score if we bat first.”
Rathour said the wicket in Chattogram was tough.
“We batted well definitely, but we bowled really well. It was a tough surface to get 20 wickets– slow and low, especially in the second innings.”
(With PTI Inputs)
India thrashed Bangladesh by 188 runs in the first Test on a rank turner in Chattogram to lead the two-match series 1-0 and the Indian pitches are also expected to provide support to spinners.
India’s next assignment in Test cricket will be against World Test Championships topper Australia. The four-match series to begin in Nagpur on February 9.
“You expect wickets to turn in the sub-continent, and after this we will be playing an important series against Australia where wickets are expected to turn,” Rathour said on the eve of the second and final Test here.
“So it’s good practice for us. It will be good preparation for Indian batters. We are not discussing anything tactically but looking forward to playing good cricket.”
The Indian batters came good in the opening Test with young opener Shubman Gill cracking his maiden century in the longest format and veteran Cheteshwar Pujara scoring a 130-ball 102 not out in the second innings, his 19th Test century after almost 4 years.
Stand-in skipper KL Rahul, however, found the going tough as he was dismissed for 22 and 23, while Virat Kohli was removed by left-arm spinner Taijul Islam with a beauty in the first innings in Chattogram. The former India captain was unbeaten on 19 in the second essay.
Rathour, who had a long session with Rahul and Kohli hoped the two batters will come good in the second Test.
Asked what was he discussing with Rahul, the batting coach said: “I’m not going to get into those discussions, these discussions keep happening, a few things he was looking at and there’s nothing to be concerned about. He was just working on something.
“We are looking forward to both of them scoring runs. Hoping to see big innings from both of them from this match.”
Kohli has recently ended his long wait for an international century, first getting to the mark in the T20Is against Afghanistan and then in the ODIs against Bangladesh.
Kohli is now due for a Test century which he last scored against Bangladesh in their first Day/Night Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2019.
‘Wicket to offer more bounce and turn’
Asked about the wicket, Rathour said: “We’re expecting this one to have a bit more bounce and turn than the previous one. We look to play according to the situation.
“We are fine whatever wicket we get. We have absolutely no issues from our side. However it plays, we have to put up as many runs as we can and put up a good score if we bat first.”
Rathour said the wicket in Chattogram was tough.
“We batted well definitely, but we bowled really well. It was a tough surface to get 20 wickets– slow and low, especially in the second innings.”
(With PTI Inputs)
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