Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has calibrated his approach to the match simulation ahead of his first Test assignment as the coach of the national side.
India take on Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, slated to begin in Chennai on the 19th of September.
Punjabi pacer Gurnoor Brar featured among the bowlers called up for a four-day camp in the Southern city as a net bowler. The lanky speedster has so far played five first-class matches and was also with Indian Premier League side Punjab Kings during the previous season.
The 6 feet 4.5 inch tall seamer has the ability to generate bounce and pace, and has been drafted into the nets in order for the Indian batters to get used to the high-arm action of Bangladesh seamer Nahid Rana.
Rana impressed with a five-wicket haul against Pakistan in his side’s historic triumph over the hosts at Rawalpindi recently.
The noteworthy thing about Rana’s bowling is the bounce he manages to produce from length with his 6ft 5-inch frame and has the tendency to bowl straight lines as witnessed in the second Test against Pakistan.
India is unlikely to play on rank turners and the famous MA Chidambaram stadium could be one where pace bowlers and spinners both will get equal assistance, which bodes well for a team including the likes of Jasprit Bumrah.
However, the very same conditions could empower the tall Bangla seamer as the lanky bowler could make the most of the bounce on the track.
Former South African seamer Morne Morkel, who has been instilled as the Indian side’s new bowling coach, was seen giving pointers on the specifics the team has been looking for and the lines to bowl to star batters in the nets.
Off-spinner Himanshu Singh of Mumbai, whose bowling action is said to be similar to Ravichandran Ashwin, was also called up to the nets, as was S Ajit Ram, a slow left-arm bowler from Tamil Nadu.
Pacers Akash Deep and Yash Dayal were seen delivering more balls in the nets than the top-strike partnership of Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj on the second day of the camp.
The side’s senior batters seek to get into their rhythm following the brief break they were afforded ahead of the start of the series.
The Bangladesh team is scheduled to arrive in Chennai on Sunday and have been assured of the security arrangements for the players by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, as the neighbouring nation come off a wild episode of civil unrest following the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina.
“I have talked to Jay Shah and he has given us assurance regarding security,” BCB chief Farukh Ahmed told reporters after a meeting with the national team players at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday in Dhaka.