India vs Bangladesh: Axar Patel vs Kuldeep Yadav on Kanpur pitch with black soil

India vs Bangladesh: The second Test is set to be played on a black-soil pitch at Green Park. India will be tempted to play three spinners. The home team opted for three pacers and two spinners in the first Test on a red-soil pitch in Chennai.

In Short

• India are likely to play three spinners in the second Test against Bangladesh
• Unlike Chennai, the Kanpur pitch is unlikely to offer true bounce
• The second Test will get underway at Green Park on Friday, September 27

It is set to be a close contest between Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, as India are likely to field three spinners in the second and final Test of the series against Bangladesh. All eyes are on the pitch in Kanpur, which will host the second Test, after India and Bangladesh battled on a sporting surface in the first Test in Chennai.

A red-soil pitch was used in Chennai for the series opener, which also marked the beginning of India's long Test season. The surface at the MA Chidambaram Stadium evoked memories of fast-bowler-friendly tracks from the past at this iconic venue. On an overcast morning on Day 1, Bangladesh’s pacers, particularly Hasan Mahmud, made full use of the conditions. Throughout the Test, both pacers and spinners benefitted from the consistent bounce of the pitch, which Ashwin praised as one of the best in recent years.

As it turns out, Kanpur’s Green Park will use a black-soil pitch, which is expected to assist batters and slow down as the Test progresses, according to ESPNCricinfo. The pitch for the second Test is unlikely to offer true bounce, which may prompt both teams to consider playing three spinners in their XI.

India went in with three seamers and only two spinners in the first Test in Chennai. Akash Deep joined Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, while R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja led the spin-bowling attack. Ashwin

India announced an unchanged 16-man squad for the second Test and it will be interesting to see who makes way for an extra spinner. It remains to be seen if India will rest Bumrah, considering the long Test season in which India will travel to Australia for a five-Test Border-Gavaskar series.

AXAR VS KULDEEP

If picked, Axar Patel will bolster the batting further. However, India might be tempted to give Kuldeep Yadav an opportunity to bowl alongside Ashwin and Jadeja as they gear up towards the big Australian challenge.

Kuldeep has played only eight Tests at home since making his debut in 2017. Axar, who made his Test debut in 2021, has played 12 Tests in home conditions, often having been India's third spinner.

Earlier this year, Axar Patel played two Tests against England while Kuldeep Yadav, a more attacking option, played as many as four of the five-match series at home.

India have played 23 Tests in Kanpur and won seven of them while drawing 17. The last two Tests played in Kanpur went to the fifth day. New Zealand held India to a draw in 2021 and the BlackCaps were beaten on the fifth day in 2016 at Green Park.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, have Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan as the spin-bowling options on the bench. The visitors too played three pacers and two spinners. Shakib Al Hasan, who struggled to make an impact in Chennai, is doubtful for the second Test due to a nagging finger injury.