The city's past as Chittagong is merely a portion of the tale. India last played Test cricket in Chattogram when the globe was a completely different place.
In January 2010, India came to this location with one of their great teams on a tear and a stand-in captain who couldn't have been more dissimilar from MS Dhoni. In the run-up to the Test match back then, Virender Sehwag had made the legendary statement, "Bangladesh are an ordinary team," which stunned a room full of media into shock. There is still more. He quickly added, "They can't beat India because they can't take 20 wickets.
Bangladesh is no longer on the same team. Then captain Shakib Al Hasan undoubtedly no longer believes that a "draw will be good" and for good reason. Bangladesh is a force to be reckoned with at home after defeating teams like the West Indies, England, and even Australia in the interim. They differ qualitatively from the Mohammad Ashraful era in that they aren't focused on just one player, which accounts for a substantial portion of that.
Bangladesh still hasn't been able to defeat India by taking 20 wickets in a game, much less a Test. Despite the fact that the two sides have only faced off in five rubber matches since that historic series in 2010, India continues to be the dominant team, especially under the current subcontinental circumstances. Over the course of the next five days, how much will be on display—or how little will be.
India, which has its sights set on the World Test Championship final, must contend with more well-rounded and ambitious hosts in Bangladesh, and Chattogram may not be as simple as Chittagong.
What: Bangladesh vs India, 1st Test, December 14-18, 9:30 AM local
Where: Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram
What to expect: Taskin Ahmed described it as a "batting paradise." The site is famed for its conditions favouring batsmen and both sides, not just Bangladesh, will be put to job in taking 20 wickets on the playing field here. Despite this, three of the last five Tests played here have ended in defeat for Bangladesh, who have lost three of them. Over the next five days, the weather is expected to be favorable.
Team news
Bangladesh: Bangladesh's head coach, Russell Domingo, has declared that Taskin Ahmed, who is recovering from a back ailment, will "not be risked." Shakib Al Hasan, who was struck in the ribs by Umran Malik during the ODI series, still complains of discomfort in his ribs despite the fact that the results of the second scan he had in Chattogram were negative. In 23 degrees, he's probably going to don his jacket and once more lead Bangladesh at home.
India: KL Rahul will skipper the team in Rohit Sharma's absence because the regular captain will miss the Chattogram Test due to a finger injury. Who will be the stand-in skipper's opening partner is one of the first decisions he or she will have to make. Shubman Gill has potential and experience, but uncapped Abhimanyu Easwaran, at 27 years old, has been patiently waiting for far too long and, more crucially, has just scored 141 and 157 runs for India A.
Cricket betting: Find the best odds
You can get a wide choice of odds once you've selected a reputable bookmaker. However, the odds in the betting markets will vary based on the wagers. For instance, wagers on exact scores frequently have greater odds because they are unlikely to happen. As a result, placing a wager on these can be profitable. There are other ways to choose odds besides this, though.
• Recognize that probabilities are not always a prediction of the result, but rather a measure of profitability. Many gamblers mix the two up. While odds can also indicate the likelihood of an event, they frequently reflect public opinion and also take the bookmaker's commission into account. Use them just to gauge how much money you may expect to make.
• The wagers with the best odds will pay out the most, so find out which ones they are.
Read more:
Troy Cooley and Kotak travel with India A to Bangladesh