Dinesh Karthik predicts India's dominance in upcoming Bangladesh Test series
Dinesh Karthik, the former Indian wicketkeeper, has expressed his belief that Bangladesh will not pose a significant challenge to India in the forthcoming two-match Test series. The series, scheduled to begin on September 19, marks India's first Test assignment against Bangladesh at home since the memorable Pink Ball Test in November 2019. Despite their recent victory over Pakistan, Karthik remains skeptical about Bangladesh's performance on Indian soil.
Karthik downplays Bangladesh's recent success against Pakistan
Karthik downplayed Bangladesh's recent success in Pakistan, stating that defeating India on home turf is daunting. "I personally don't think that Bangladesh will give India a tough time. Beating India in India is a humongous task, and although Bangladesh has played well in Pakistan, I don't believe they'll trouble India much," he said during a Cricbuzz video. The series will also see the return of key players like Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul to the Indian squad.
Karthik anticipates pace-friendly pitches for upcoming series
Karthik also touched on the potential inclusion of young pacer Harshit Rana in the squad, and predicted that India might prepare pace-friendly pitches for the series. "Could there be a chance for Harshit Rana? I thought he bowled very well, something very special about him," he said. He added, "I get the feeling India's going to play on slightly pace-oriented pitches, knowing that it's a good way to beat Bangladesh."
Karthik praises Rahul's improvement as wicketkeeper
Karthik praised KL Rahul's progress as a wicketkeeper, but expressed concerns about the physical demands of keeping in Test matches. "KL Rahul is a very good keeper, who has improved a lot. And I don't think it's fair to call him a part-time wicketkeeper anymore," he stated. However, he also cautioned that "Keeping in Test cricket is hard work across five days, and he's had his struggles with injuries."
