India's Likely XI vs Bangladesh: No Third Pacer, Three Spinners Are R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja And...

As India prepares to face Bangladesh in the first Test of their upcoming series, former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has recommended a bold strategy for the Indian team. Raina suggested that India should deploy a spin-dominant attack with three spinners and two fast bowlers for the match, which begins on Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Raina's strategy is driven by the nature of the Chennai pitch, which he expects to favor spinners due to its black soil composition. He proposed selecting Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav as the spin trio, alongside fast bowlers Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah.

"I believe India should go with five bowling options, that is three spinners and two pacers. Mohammad Siraj has been doing very well in the past few years in Red ball cricket, we all know how good Jasprit Bumrah is, and what he has done for the Indian cricket team in the past few years barely any fast bowlers in the world of cricket has done. So with two pacers and Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav India should go ahead," Raina told IANS in the backdrop of the LLC press conference.

"Ashwin and Jadeja combination on Indian pitches is the most deadly combination so with the condition that Chennai pitch offers, the black soil, humid conditions and the winds they will just unsettle the opponents," he added.

India, currently leading the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with a 68.52 percent rating, is looking to solidify their position at the top. The series against Bangladesh is crucial as it precedes Test series against New Zealand and Australia.

Raina acknowledged that while his suggestion is based on pitch conditions and current form, the final decision rests