The Indian team are currently undergoing a four-day preparatory camp ahead of the first Bangladesh Test in Chennai.
In a recent development coming in, a former Punjab Kings (PBKS) fast bowler has been called up by the Indian management to simulate Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana ahead of the upcoming first Test match between the countries, slated to start on September 19.
The Indian team are currently undergoing a four-day preparatory camp prior to the start of the series in Chennai, where Punjab’s Gurnoor Brar is one of the net bowlers, added specifically to emulate Rana and help the Indian batters prepare. Gurnoor was secured by PBKS for his base price of INR 20 lakhs during the IPL 2023 season as a replacement for Raj Angad Bawa.
Despite Gurnoor’s relatively modest first-class performance, his height and ability to generate bounce were key reasons for his selection. He is expected to replicate the high-arm action of Bangladesh’s pacer Nahid Rana, renowned for his bounce and notable recent performance against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, where Bangladesh achieved a historic victory.
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India is unlikely to prepare rank turners, given the presence of two strong new-ball bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, in its squad. Instead, the Chepauk pitch is expected to offer balanced support for both pacers and spinners.
The visiting team might thus consider including the tall Nahid Rana, as the surface could provide more consistent bounce.
Mumbai off-spinner Himanshu Singh, whose bowling style is said to resemble that of the iconic Ravichandran Ashwin, was also present in the nets.
Tamil Nadu’s left-arm spinner S Ajit Ram put in considerable effort during the practice session.
Notably, young pacers Akash Deep and Yash Dayal, who may remain on the bench if India opts for three specialist spinners, bowled more frequently in the nets on the second day of the camp than the leading duo of Bumrah and Siraj.
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