In the Kanpur Test, India won the toss, giving them an early advantage. Captain Rohit Sharma elected to bowl, putting Bangladesh into bat first.
The overcast skies influenced Sharma's decision, with the Indian captain aiming to capitalise on the conditions. India’s playing XI featured three seamers to exploit the cloudy weather.
After winning the toss, Rohit remarked, "The pitch seems a bit soft, so we need to act quickly. That's why we've gone in with three seamers."
In their previous match, Bangladesh put up a commendable fight, especially in the early stages. Acknowledging Bangladesh's resilience, Rohit expressed confidence in a competitive match, "We didn’t start well with the bat in the first match, but we found ways to score and our bowlers did their job. I expect nothing different here. It’ll be a challenge, but we have the experience to bounce back."
On the other side, Bangladesh captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto revealed that he would have also chosen to bat had he won the toss. Explaining his preference, Shanto said, "I’m pleased to bat first; that was our plan from the start. The pitch looks good for batting."
Bangladesh’s batsmen were underwhelming in the previous Test, but Shanto is taking an optimistic view. He commented, "As batsmen, we need to put up a good score if we start well. I hope our batters can post a big total today, but handling the new ball will be key."
Bangladesh XI: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (Wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed.
India XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Avesh Khan, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
