Gautam Gambhir confirms Rahul, Pant to start ahead of Sarfaraz, Jurel in 1st Test

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has all but confirmed that experienced cricketers KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant will play in the first Test against Bangladesh ahead of young talents Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel.

In Short

• KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are likely to play the first Test vs Bangladesh
• India are set to kick off their extended Test season vs Bangladesh
• Young talents Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel to wait for their opportunity

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that senior pros KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant would play the series-opening Test against Bangladesh ahead of talented youngsters Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel. Speaking to reporters, Gambhir made it clear that the team's strategy was driven by a focus on experience and form, particularly as both Rahul and Pant make their returns to the Test arena.

India are set to kick off their extended Test season on Thursday, which consists of 10 matches, culminating in the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar series in Australia. The Rohit Sharma-led team will first face Bangladesh, fresh off their historic 2-0 clean sweep against Pakistan last month. The opening Test will be held in Chennai, followed by the second and final Test of the series in Kanpur next week.

Gambhir acknowledged the immense potential of Sarfaraz and Jurel, praising them for their talent and dedication. "We don't drop anyone. We just pick the players who fit the XI. Jurel is a phenomenal player, but when Pant is coming in, sometimes people have to wait. Same with Sarfaraz. There will be opportunities, but you have to wait," Gambhir explained.

Dhruv Jurel, who made an impressive Test debut earlier this year against England, including a Player-of-the-Match performance in Ranchi, will sit out as Rishabh Pant returns to the playing XI for the first Test against Bangladesh. Pant, who last played a Test in December 2022, had been out of action due to injuries sustained in a car accident.

The rest of the batting line-up is more predictable, with Rohit Sharma opening alongside the in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal. Shubman Gill will likely slot in at No. 3, followed by Virat Kohli at No. 4. KL Rahul is expected to be preferred over Sarfaraz Khan at No. 5, given Rahul’s experience. Sarfaraz has shown signs of struggle in his two recent appearances in the Duleep Trophy, which likely influenced the decision.